Why did the Chiefs play in Germany? Reason for NFL teams having games overseas explored

The NFL's slate of games in Germany kicked off on Sunday as the Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Miami Dolphins. The Chiefs came out with the victory on Sunday morning. But how the teams came to play in Germany is a popular question.

Each team in the National Football League is required to play an international game once every eight years. Since the Chiefs have global marketing rights in Germany, they asked the league to play the game there. This is the first NFL game ever played in Frankfurt, Germany.

Last year, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers took home the victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Munich, Germany. This was the first NFL game ever played in the country.

Divisional games aren't permitted for the international schedule, so that cut the number of possible opponents down to six. The NFL chose to open the season with Kansas City hosting the Detroit Lions, taking another option off the table.

The league and Kansas City ultimately decided on the Miami Dolphins. The league never could have imagined that the matchup would have two of the best teams in the AFC with 6-2 records.

The stadium will next play host to the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts next Sunday.

Why does the NFL have international games?

The National Football League is always looking for ways to spread the game of football. One way to do that was to introduce the American-born game to an international audience.

The international games have been quite popular, and attendance has surpassed their expectations. The first football game played in Mexico dates back to August 1978. The New Orleans Saints defeated the Philadelphia Eagles at the Estadio Azul in a preseason matchup.

In 2005, Mexico hosted its first-ever regular season game with 100,000 fans in attendance. The Cardinals defeated the 49ers 31-14, and the game's success led the league to branch out into other countries. Mexico has hosted games nearly every season, including in 2022. This season, the stadium is undergoing renovations and won't be able to host a game.

The NFL began playing games in London, England, in 2007. This season, there were three games played in the city. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced this week that the league will expand to another global city in 2024.

In the next month or two, the NFL will likely announce a new destination in Brazil or Spain. The league has also expressed interest in possibly playing a game in Ireland.