FOXBOROUGH/DÜSSELDORF -- This past weekend, Düsseldorf once again presented itself as a football stronghold: under radiant spring weather, the New England Patriots, together with Mayor Dr. Stephan Keller, celebrated the official opening of the new flag football field in the Garath district—drawing in numerous visitors. Nearly 2,000 people were on-site to take part in a unique family event full of sports, action, and entertainment.
Dr. Stephan Keller, Mayor of the state capital Düsseldorf, expressed his enthusiasm: "With the official opening of the flag fields, we are taking the next major step to consistently and successfully develop American football further in Germany and Düsseldorf."
With this, the New England Patriots are the first NFL team to commit to a long-term presence in Germany with their own field, aiming to increase the popularity of football in the country. For the first time in Patriots history, two active players—cornerback Marcus Jones and guard Cole Strange—traveled to Germany outside of the season to attend an event. Excited fans were treated to autographs, photos, and many personal encounters with the stars. They were supported by Patriots legend and Super Bowl champion Sebastian Vollmer, former NFL player Markus Kuhn, mascot Pat Patriot, the official Patriots cheerleaders, and other well-known guests from the football world.
Joe Dorant, Senior Director of Global Expansion and Events at the Patriots, added: "Nearly 2,000 people celebrated the opening of our flag football field with us. That shows how much potential this sport has in Düsseldorf and in Germany. Our goal is to make the excitement of football accessible to as many people as possible. That's exactly what we achieved with this football festival. And that's how we will continue."
The sporting focus of the new field's opening was entirely on youth development: at the NFL Flag U14 Final Tournament, the best school teams from across Germany competed in a high- level, thrilling flag football competition. In addition, the NFL Combine organized by the Patriots offered all sports-loving visitors—regardless of experience—the chance to try out football, showcase their skills, and win attractive prizes.
As part of the event, a second flag football field was also inaugurated at the Garath District Sports Complex, which the City of Düsseldorf named in honor of Sebastian Vollmer. He felt honored: "Many thanks to all the people of Düsseldorf for this special day in my hometown. With these two fields, we're giving the sport a huge push here and inviting young and old alike to try out football. And who knows—maybe one of the kids playing here will someday be in the NFL or at the Olympics playing flag football."
The new dual offering creates a strong foundation for youth sports in Düsseldorf—especially for the recently launched flag football program of the Düsseldorf Firecats, which will now call the new facility its sporting home. Together, the goal is to make Düsseldorf a flag football city.
Burkhard Hintzsche, City Director of the state capital Düsseldorf, added: "The commitment of the Patriots, one of the most prestigious NFL franchises, highlights the importance of this project and the willingness of everyone involved to sustainably promote football in Düsseldorf."
With this event, the City of Düsseldorf and the New England Patriots sent a powerful signal for the promotion of flag football—one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, which will make its Olympic debut in 2028. Women and girls make up the fastest-growing participant group, something that is also actively encouraged in Düsseldorf. The football festival, under the motto "We Move Düsseldorf," was not just a celebration for fans but also an inspiring launchpad for many young talents—some of whom we might already see in the NFL or at the Olympics in 2028.
