FRANKFURT, Germany – In 2014, the German men's senior national football team won its fourth World Cup. Later that year, the National Football League's (NFL) New England Patriots claimed their fourth of what is now a league-leading six Super Bowl titles. Today, the two champions have announced a new partnership, with both teams hosting each other at their respective training facilities when they travel abroad this fall.
In October, the German men's national team will travel to New England to play the U.S. men's national team in Hartford, Connecticut, on 14 October 2023 (from 21:00h CET, live on RTL). Prior to the match, the German team will train at the Patriots and Revolution facilities, located at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. In November, the Patriots will travel to Frankfurt, Germany, to play the Indianapolis Colts at Frankfurt Stadium on 12 November 2023. In the days prior to that game, the Patriots will train at the German Football Association (aka Deutscher Fußball-Bund or DFB) campus.
"Over the past few years, we have been in close contact with clubs from the NFL, collaborating and sharing best practices with each other," said Dr. Holger Blask, managing director of DFB GmbH & Co. KG. "We are proud to partner with one of the NFL's most successful franchises. The New England Patriots have dominated their sport over the past two decades and have contributed to the global growth in the popularity of American football. We look forward to traveling to the United States in October and using the Foxborough training facility to prepare for our match in New England. While there, we will continue to collaborate with the Kraft family and the New England Patriots, as we stand to benefit greatly from the experiences of a global franchise, both on and off the field."
The Patriots visit to Frankfurt will mark the team's first time playing in an international game as the home team. Since the launch of the international series in 2007, the Patriots have played three international games, including two in London and one in Mexico City, and are undefeated in those games. In 2021, the Patriots were awarded Germany as an official "home market" through the NFL's Global Markets Program. The initiative has allowed the team to grow its fan base abroad and develop additional opportunities for marketing, fan engagement and business development, including in-person and digital marketing opportunities, as well as corporate sponsorships and other events. Last spring, the Patriots were awarded Austria and Switzerland as official "home markets" in addition to Germany. Last season, the Patriots hosted multiple watch party events in Germany and just last month, New England Patriots linebacker Josh Uche visited Frankfurt and toured the DFB campus. Currently, former Patriots and German natives Sebastian Vollmer and Markus Kuhn continue to serve as Patriots ambassadors in Germany and are touring Germany along with three-time Super Bowl Champion Patrick Chung.
"We know how popular the Patriots are in Germany and can't wait to travel to Frankfurt this fall to play before so many passionate fans," said Joe Dorant, senior director of sales operations for Kraft Sports & Entertainment. "As the Patriots continue to expand our reach into the DACH region in year two of the NFL's Global Markets Program, we are looking for strategic partners to help build stronger business relationships to help us reach new audiences. With DFB's proven success, both domestically and globally, they are the perfect partner to do so. As owners of the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution, Kraft Sports & Entertainment will benefit from this partnership and on-going collaboration."
