The NFL is returning to Germany with one of the strongest matchups on the 2026 international schedule.
Defeated Super Bowl LX finalists, the New England Patriots, head to the Allianz Arena in Week 10 to face the Detroit Lions, in a battle between two teams hoping to go the distance this season.
One of a record nine international matchups announced in the NFL's overseas slate, Germany remains a key player in the NFL's global expansion, with a multi-year deal in place.
And with 2026 delivering Drake Maye, A.J. Brown, and Rhamondre Stevenson on one sideline and Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Amon-Ra St. Brown on the other, the Munich crowd is in for a treat.
Here's everything you need to know about the game, including a full preview and how to watch on DAZN.
US viewers can catch it on FOX and FOX One, and NFL+
International viewers (excluding the US and China) can stream the game on DAZN with an NFL Game Pass subscription.
The Allianz Arena has hosted NFL games before, including the Buccaneers-Seahawks game in 2022 and the Panthers-Giants game in 2024.
Between Munich and Berlin, Germany will host games through the 2029 season.
New England's 2026 season outlook starts and ends with quarterback Maye and whether he can back up his sensational breakout year that led the Patriots to the Super Bowl.
Last season, he completed 72.0% of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions, finishing as the runner-up to Matthew Stafford in MVP voting.
His league-best 113.5 passer rating spearheaded a 14-3 Patriots turnaround few saw coming after their 4-13 finish in 2024.
New England has parted ways with wide receiver Stefon Diggs, but has made efforts to keep the offense moving forward.
Romeo Doubs was signed first and was soon followed by one of the biggest offseason signings when A.J. Brown joined in a blockbuster trade from the Patriots.
Maye also gets a pair of new offensive linemen in first-round pick Caleb Lomu and free agent acquisition Alijah Vera-Tucker.
By Week 10, we'll know whether Maye has the talent and offense around him to make another run at the 2026 MVP award. If he starts the year well, a strong display in Munich would certainly add to his case.
Thearon W. Henderson / Stringer
Mike Vrabel's first season in New England was one of the more remarkable coaching performances in recent memory, taking a team that finished at the bottom of the AFC East to the verge of winning it all.
His second year in charge is off to a rocky start, but the Patriots will be hoping the football does the talking once the season gets going.
One of the best subplots heading into the Munich game is Detroit's elite wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, whose mother was born in Germany.
Speaking to reporters at the NFL's league meetings in Phoenix, the 26-year-old didn't hide his excitement about playing in Munich.
"It's going to be great just for me to be out there with my teammates, with them and my family to spend some time out there with them and to be able to play football in Germany, which has always been a dream of mine since I was a kid," he said.
"The appetite is growing fast, and I've seen it firsthand. I go out there and have my camps out there, and there's people that actually recognise me in Germany," he continued.
"I'm just grateful, I'm happy, and I'm honoured that football will be played in Germany, and we'll be part of that."
Detroit's secondary has the talent to disrupt even elite passing offenses, with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph giving the Lions one of the most talented safety rooms in the league.
Both players have been nursing injuries, but the hope is that they will be back well before this Week 10 showdown.
And with edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson creating constant havoc up front, that secondary isn't often forced into covering for too long.
Both levels of the Lions' defense will need to be at their best when they go up against a Patriots passing attack that tied for fifth in passing touchdowns last season.
Stevenson and his backfield partner, TreVeyon Henderson, have the makings of a strong one-two punch capable of relieving the pressure on Maye.
And if Brown and Doubs can deliver on expectations, and the chemistry between Maye and tight end Hunter Henry continues, Detroit's defense could be in for a long afternoon.
Milton Williams and Christian Barmore are A-grade players on the interior of New England's defensive line, and they could find a vulnerability to exploit on the Detroit offensive line interior.
Detroit center Cade Mays suffered a wrist injury in training camp and will miss significant time, and any drop-off in talent will give Williams and Barmore a favourable matchup.
Goff is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the NFC, rarely mentioned in debates about the league's leading gunslingers.
With Goff leaning on St. Brown to lead a receiving group that also includes speedster Jameson Williams and talented Sam LaPorta at tight end, Detroit has real firepower to test New England's defense.
Jahmyr Gibbs is the other major threat. Dynamic as both a runner and receiver, he's one of the best and most productive backs in the league and will relish the chance to perform on an international stage against a Patriots linebacker group that looks somewhat unsettled.
DT Williams and cornerback Christian Gonzalez are the headline acts in the Patriots' defense, and will need to inspire the best from their teammates if they are to contain the Lions' potentially explosive offense.
The Patriots lead the all-time series 8-5-0, but that has little bearing on this one, given they've only met twice in the last decade and have split those games.
The Lions are currently the bookmakers' favourites, but this is anyone's game for the taking.