Why Chiefs Won’t Play An International Game In 2026

Reducing the number of regular-season games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to seven in 2026 would sacrifice the revenue from the more than 75,000 fans who fill Arrowhead and also present a competitive disadvantage.

Heading into NFL schedule release week, the Falcons in Spain were the only road team on the Chiefs’ schedule left who had an open opponent for an international game.

That location would have been particularly appealing because it is one of the countries — along with Austria, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom — in which the Chiefs have global marketing rights.

Those rights allow them to build brand awareness through fan engagement, events, commercial opportunities and NFL flag football development, and the Chiefs have taken full advantage.

“When you have the face of the league in Patrick,” Hunt said, “it certainly facilitates growing your brand.”

But instead of playing the Falcons in Spain, Mahomes and the Chiefs will face them in Atlanta, where they narrowly won 22-17 two years ago.

The Chiefs opened last year in Sao Paolo, Brazil, where they lost 27-21 to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs also faced the Chargers internationally in November of 2019, winning 24-17 in Mexico City during a season which ended in their first Super Bowl victory in 50 years.

Kansas City’s last Super Bowl-winning season also included an international game.

The Chiefs defeated the Miami Dolphins and former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, 21-14, in November of 2023 in Frankfurt, Germany and then won Super Bowl LVIII a few months later.

So perhaps playing in Europe has served as a good omen — in addition to the way it allows the Chiefs to expand their fanbase.

“We’d love to be overseas again,” Donovan said.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com