The NFL’s annual regular season game in Mexico City is set for 2018.
Commissioner Roger Goodell announced on Wednesday that the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs will play at Estadio Azteca next season. The actual date and time will be determined when the league releases the 2018 schedule in April.
“Over the past two seasons, we have seen the extraordinary passion that exists for NFL football in Mexico,” Goodell said during his annual state of the league address. “We are excited for another memorable event at Estadio Azteca as the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs head to Mexico City in 2018.”
Los Angeles Rams will host the Kansas City Chiefs at Estadio Azteca in the 2018 season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 31, 2018
Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs to Play in Mexico City in 2018
Next season’s matchup will mark the third straight year the league has played a regular season game south of the border. It follows last season’s contest between the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots as well as the Raiders’ Monday Night Football clash with the Houston Texans in 2016. The Rams will be designated as hosts for next year’s game.
“Southern California and Mexico share strong historic and cultural ties and this game will provide an opportunity to celebrate the special connection between these two regions,” Rams owner Stanley Kroenke stated. “It is great to be participating in the NFL’s international games again and working with the league to grow the game abroad. Mexico has one of the largest NFL fanbases in the world and we are excited to bring Rams football to the millions of fans there.”
The NFL’s partnership with Mexico will continue beyond next season. In November, the league and Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism announced a three-year agreement to host regular season games through 2021. It’s part and parcel of the NFL’s growing international presence that includes games in London. In addition to the game in Mexico, three are in the works for the U.K. next year.
The Chiefs, in the news for the deal that sent quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins, have played in Mexico before. They took part in a preseason game in Monterrey, Mexico back in 1996.
“We are thrilled to be a part of the NFL’s international initiatives once again, and we are excited to face the Rams at historic Estadio Azteca this fall,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said. “The support for the NFL in Mexico has grown significantly since our initial trip in 1996. We look forward to returning to Mexico and connecting with a new generation of fans this season.”
