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Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions.
The Detroit Lions are headed abroad in the 2026 NFL season, and star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is excited for the opportunity.
The NFL announced this week that the Lions would be one of the teams playing in the upcoming 2026 NFL Munich game, part of the league’s effort to grow its audience in Europe. The game has special meaning for St. Brown, who spoke of his lifelong desire to play in Germany.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Excited for the Opportunity
The game has some extra meaning for St. Brown, whose mother is from Germany. The team took to social media this week to share some news on St. Brown, who offered his excitement at what he called the opportunity of a lifetime.
“If you told me as a kid that I’d be playing in Germany, I’d never believe you,” St. Brown said. “It’d be a dream.”
St. Brown expanded on those thoughts, telling the team’s official website that he often visited Germany as a child and was excited to show the fans there what he can do on the field.
“It has been a dream of mine to play a game in my mother’s home country of Germany since coming to the league,” St. Brown said. “I cannot wait to play in front of the incredible fans that I’ve gotten to know through my visits and football camps in the country. Their support for me and the country’s instant connection to the Lions brand is inspiring, and I’m looking forward to our team getting to showcase Detroit football on an international scale.”
Fans in Germany will get the chance to see one of the league’s top receivers. St. Brown has made the Pro Bowl in four consecutive seasons, turning in a stellar campaign in 2025 with 117 receptions for 1,401 yards with 11 touchdowns.
Game Could Benefit Lions as Well
The NFL awards teams marketing rights in certain countries through its Global Markets Program, and the Lions have rights in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Rod Wood, Detroit’s president and CEO, told NFL.com that the Lions are excited for the opportunity to expand their fan base in Europe.
“We are thrilled to be playing internationally and specifically in Munich for the 2026 season,” Wood said. “As an organization, we have invested greatly in the German market and are excited to play in front of our passionate German fans.”
NFL.com noted that the league has already been taking efforts to build its audience in Germany, engaging fans in year-round efforts.
“NFL Flag — the NFL’s official youth flag football program — launched in Germany four years ago, with over 110,000 young girls and boys now participating nationwide, showcasing the league’s efforts to increase participation and inspire the next generation as flag football heads toward its debut as an Olympic sport at LA28,” the report noted.
The game could present some challenges for the Lions, however, with its added travel and logistics. The team is aiming to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 campaign where they failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.