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LONDON — The NFL selected the cities Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich on Tuesday to enter a final bidding stage to host a regular-season game in Germany.
Next season is the target for Germany to host its first game, though the NFL’s announcement didn’t specify 2022 or 2023.
“After an initial period in which expressions of interest were received from multiple cities, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich have been invited to proceed to the ‘candidate phase’ of the process,” the league said in a statement. “Those cities will now participate in deeper conversations about staging games in Germany.”
Germany has a strong and growing NFL fan base and one of the world’s largest economies, making the country a logical target for a league with visions of worldwide growth.
“The strong interest we have received from German cities underlines what a fantastic opportunity this is for a host, ranging from the significant economic benefits and global exposure to the chance to become a hub for the growth of the NFL’s fan engagement, community and grassroots activities,” said Brett Gosper, NFL Head of Europe and UK.
France, Spain and “the Nordics” are also in the league’s longer-term sights to host games, Gosper told The Associated Press last week.
Gosper also said that the first German game would be “certainly no later than ’23.”
Tuesday’s announcement comes during the NFL’s return to London after a one-year hiatus because of the pandemic. The Atlanta Falcons beat the New York Jets 27-20 on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which will also stage the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Miami Dolphins this Sunday.
The NFL announced a bidding process in June.
The NFL urged German bidders to form a consortium between the region, the city and the stadium owner. The stadium is the key factor, along with infrastructure and ease of travel.
“As well as identifying a stadium that is fully capable of handling the logistics of an NFL game, we want to work with a host consortium that…
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Source : espn
