The NFL announced Monday the five teams that will host an international game during the 2022 season. That list didn’t include the Chicago Bears, who won’t host an international game this upcoming season.
The New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers and Jacksonville Jaguars will host games in London while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host a game in Germany and the Arizona Cardinals will host a game in Mexico.
The only team the Bears could face internationally this upcoming season would be the Packers, as they don’t play the Cardinals, Saints, Buccaneers or Jaguars in 2022.
But with that said, it’s hard to imagine the NFL staging a Bears-Packers game in London of all places, especially when the matchup has thrived in prime-time — particularly at Lambeau Field.
Of those teams, the #Bears play only the #Packers this season. And my guess is the NFL would never ever ever ever ever ever ever (did I say ever?) stage a #Bears–#Packers game in London. https://t.co/5ekQdaj8Ld
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) February 28, 2022
Back in December, the Bears were awarded Spain and the United Kingdom for international markets as part of the NFL’s new International Home Market Areas (IHMA) initiative.
Chicago has played three international games in London dating back to 1986, when they beat the Dallas Cowboys 17-6 in a preseason game at Wembley Stadium.
The Bears have played in London twice since then — back in 2011, when they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-18 at Wembley Stadium, and most recently in 2019, losing to the Las Vegas Raiders 24-21 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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