Chiefs take a key step closer to opening the 2025 season in another country after latest development shakes things up
The Kansas City Chiefs might open its 2025 season in South America. During NFL League Meetings in Florida this week, the NFL are one step closer to announce that the Chiefs will be the away team to face the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil, in Week 1. The Athletic's Nate Taylor and Daniel […]
The Kansas City Chiefs might open its 2025 season in South America. During NFL League Meetings in Florida this week, the NFL are one step closer to announce that the Chiefs will be the away team to face the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil, in Week 1. The Athletic's Nate Taylor and Daniel Popper reported the news.
"According to multiple league sources, the Chiefs are the No. 1 franchise in consideration by the league to take on the Chargers in the stand-alone game that is up for bid among the league’s broadcasting partners."
The game will be played at Neo Quimica Arena, the same stadium that received the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers last season. In 2024, the gamm was broadcasted in the United States by Peacock, and the expectation is that an NFL streaming partner will have the exclusive rights for this game as well—Amazon, Disney+, Netflix, Paramount+, and Peacock are the possibilities.
"On playing international games, we're willing to do it whenever the opportunity presents itself," Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said on Monday via The Athletic. "We don't have a lot of control over that, except periodically with whatever the rotation (of teams scheduled to play overseas) of the league is at where we can be the home team."
International brand
The Chiefs have been a frequent choice by the NFL to play games outside of the United States. The team has played regular season games in the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Germany over the past decade. In Mexico City, the Chiefs beat the Chargers in 2019.
The NFL has already announced that the Chargers will be the home team in São Paulo. The game will be on September 5, the Friday after the opening kickoff. The extra two days give the teams time to return to North America and have a normal preparation ahead of Week 2.
Chiefs international games
- 2015: Kansas City Chiefs 45-10 Detroit Lions (London, United Kingdom)
- 2019: Kansas City Chiefs 24-17 Los Angeles Chargers (Mexico City, Mexico)
- 2023: Kansas City Chiefs 21-14 Miami Dolphins (Frankfurt, Germany)
"After a successful and memorable first game in Brazil, we are very happy to confirm the league's return to São Paulo, with the Los Angeles Chargers as the designated team, continuing this incredible story in the Brazilian market," said Luis Martinez, general manager of NFL Brazil. "Together with our partners — SPTuris, Mayor Nunes, and Corinthians — we will continue making history and look forward to delivering another unforgettable experience to the passionate football fans in Brazil."
Brazil is perceived by the NFL as a big, rising market. The country has the third largest football fanbase in the world, after the United States and Mexico. The Eagles-Packers matchup last year was the first NFL game in South America, and was seen by the league as a major success.
After an expansion this year, Brazil has four teams as part of the NFL Global Markets Program—Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, and Philadelphia Eagles.
Christmas Day
In addition to a game in Brazil to start the season, the Chiefs might also play a stand-alone game on Christmas Day. The franchise requested it to the NFL, just like it happened last year. The NFL will have a triple-header on the holiday—the first two on Netflix, and the third one, at night, on Amazon Prime as part of the Thursday Night Football package.
NFL officially announces LA Chargers game in Brazil, taking another step to grow the league’s presence in the country
Chargers will host a Week 1 game in São Paulo
