Once again, the Bucs are going to Europe to play an NFL game this season. According Sports Business Journal’s Ben Fischer, Tampa Bay will play the first ever game in Germany during the regular season in 2022. It will count as a home game for Tampa Bay. At this time, the opponent is still unknown. There have been rumors the Bucs will face the Chiefs in Munich this fall.
News: The @Buccaneers will be the home team in the @NFL's first regular season game in Germany this fall, sources tell me. Formal announcement to come Monday. No date or opponent known yet.
— Ben Fischer (@BenFischerSBJ) February 25, 2022
Kansas City Chiefs vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers is expected to be the first NFL game played in Munich. Nothing is official yet, but the NFL wants to make an announcement soon. The Chiefs, who have a close connection to FC Bayern, pushed to play in Munich and get home rights [Bild] pic.twitter.com/qExtXbULQM
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) February 22, 2022
With the NFL expanding to 17 games last season, each conference gets an additional home game every other year. This season would be when the Bucs get a ninth home game, which will be overseas. In December of 2021, it was announced that Germany would be the Bucs’ international home market in an effort by the NFL to expand their global market. An official announcement about the 2022 game will come from the NFL on Monday.
In early February, PFF’s Ari Meirov reported that the league would have four games in Germany over the next four years, starting in 2022. There would be two games in Munich and another two in Frankfurt. Shortly after, NBC Sports’ Peter King reported next the Bucs would likely be one of the teams to go next season.
This would be the fourth international game in team history for the Bucs. They’re hoping that a change of scenery in Germany can provide a better outcome than previous trips. Tampa Bay is 0-3 so far when playing outside of the United States, with all three losses coming in London.