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NFL's Big Announcement Directly Impacts Lions' 2025 Schedule

As the NFL begins to unveil parts of the 2025 schedule, Detroit Lions fans have learned that their team won't be playing in Germany next season.

By Devon Platana

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) walks off the field after losing to the Buffalo Bills 48-42, during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) walks off the field after losing to the Buffalo Bills 48-42, during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. / Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The NFL made a huge international announcement on Wednesday concerning the 2025 season. Unfortunately, it isn't good news for the Detroit Lions and their European fans.

It's been announced that the Indianapolis Colts will be hosting the NFL's regular-season debut in Berlin, Germany this fall. It'll be the league's first game at Olympic Stadium since 1994 as it continues the German marketing rights the Colts were granted last March.

Having said that, the Colts playing in Germany next season means one thing: the Lions won't be. Although the franchise also has German marketing rights, Detroit isn't on Indianapolis' 2025 schedule.

International Lions fans must wait for the franchise to make its Berlin debut until the 2026 campaign at the earliest. Despite the team's global popularity, Detroit hasn't played an international game since it fell 45-10 to the Kansas City Chiefs in London during the 2015 season.

Although the NFL's latest announcement is disappointing, it likely won't be long before the Lions make their way to Germany. Not only do they have marketing rights, but one of the Lions' best players — wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown — is of German descent.

St. Brown's mother hails from Leverkusen, Germany and spoke to him in her native tongue throughout his childhood. The experience resulted in the 25-year-old WR becoming fairly close to being fluent in German, which he's since showcased in international interviews.

He also made a trip to Germany last June to focus on promoting his youth football camp as the NFL looks to continue growing the game overseas.

For now, Lions enthusiasts must avert their attention away from the 2025 campaign to what currently matters the most: winning Super Bowl LIX. Fortunately, Dan Campbell & Co. are FanDuel Sportsbook's +290 favorite to hoist the Lombardi Trophy next month.

A Super Bowl victory would certainly give the NFL more incentive to put the Lions under the German spotlight at the next chance.

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