It’s been nearly a decade since the Detroit Lions played outside of the United States, but that long wait could soon be coming to an end.
While the Lions won’t be part of the NFL’s record-setting seven international games during the 2025 season, team president Rod Wood told local media this week at the NFL Owners Meetings that a trip abroad is on the near horizon — specifically in 2026.
Detroit Lions Eye Return to International Stage
“I think it’s highly likely, especially given that in (20)26, we’ll have the extra home game,” Wood said, referring to the NFL’s rotating 17-game schedule which gives NFC teams an extra home game that season. That’s often when teams are tapped to host international contests.
The Lions’ last appearance overseas came back in 2015, when they played the Kansas City Chiefs in London. With the league’s scheduling rule that requires teams to host an international game once every eight years, the Lions are due for another.
Germany Could Be the Destination
While the exact location is still undecided, Germany appears to be a strong possibility, especially considering the team’s growing global marketing efforts — and their most marketable international star.
“We’re certainly overdue,” Wood said. “And with the markets that we’ve now taken some marketing interest in, certainly playing in Germany with [Amon-Ra] St. Brown would be an interesting thing to think about.”
Bottom Line
With international games becoming a larger part of the NFL’s global expansion strategy, it’s only a matter of time before the Detroit Lions pack their bags for a game overseas. If Rod Wood’s prediction holds true, fans across the Atlantic could soon get their first live look at Dan Campbell’s squad — and Amon-Ra St. Brown — in what promises to be a marquee international matchup in 2026. Which international destination would you like to see the Lions play at in 2026?
