TAMPA, Fla. — The NFL hasn’t released its 2022 schedule yet, but we know when the Bucs will play their regular-season game in Germany.
The U.S. Consulate on Wednesday indicated that the Bucs will play their “home game” in Munich on Nov. 13, which is Week 10 of the NFL season.
No opponent was revealed, but it will be either the Falcons, Saints, Panthers, Chiefs, Rams, Ravens, Bengals or Seahawks.
The first NFL delegation met with U.S. Consul General Timothy Liston and members of the German Parliament to begin preparations for the Bucs’ fourth international regular-season game. The first three were played in London (2009, ‘11 and ‘19).
Tampa Bay typically would have a bye week following an international game. It won’t be the latest Bucs bye week ever. That came the first week of December in 2020, and the Bucs went 8-0 from there and won Super Bowl 55.
This will mark the NFL’s first regular-season foray into Germany, where the Bucs and three other teams have marketing rights.
As part of the league’s expansion of the regular season to 17 games, it was determined that beginning with the 2022 season up to four teams from the conference whose teams are eligible for a ninth regular-season home game will be designated to play a neutral-site international game each year. Each of the league’s 32 teams will be designated for one international matchup every eight years.
The NFL announced in December that the Bucs are among 18 teams that have been granted access to new International Home Marketing Areas. They were designated the IHMA of Germany (along with the Panthers, Chiefs and Patriots), meaning they will have opportunities for marketing, fan engagement and commercialization that will allow them to build their brand in the country.
