The Los Angeles Chargers are making geographical history in the NFL. They’ll play their 2025 season opener in São Paulo, Brazil, against an opponent to be announced this spring, the NFL announced Wednesday.
With the announcement, the Chargers will become the first franchise to play an NFL game in five different continents.
“It’s an honor to once again represent the NFL on an international stage,” Chargers’ president of business operations A.G. Spanos said in a statement. “It’s also a tremendous opportunity to help grow the game and bring the Chargers brand to millions of sports fans across Brazil and Latin America.”
The game will be played at Neo Quimica Arena, where the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers in the NFL’s first game ever in South America.
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The Chargers will be the designated home team for that game, which will again be played on the Friday of the NFL’s opening weekend.
Los Angeles has nine possible opponents it could play in the game at São Paulo when it begins its quest to make the postseason for a second straight year under Jim Harbaugh. However, the NFL traditionally doesn’t have divisional matchups in its foreign games, which would presumably rule out the Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are also playing a game on foreign soil in 2025 as they’re set to be the home in the NFL’s first game ever in Ireland and the Indianapolis Colts will be the home team for a game in Germany, which could rule them out as potential opponents.
The Eagles will also be at home in Week 1 as they’re the defending champions.
The Chargers also have home games against the Houston Texans, Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings in 2025.
Since 1976, the Chargers have played regular-season or preseason games in Mexico City, London, Tokyo, Berlin and Sydney.
The Chargers are one of seven teams who’ll be the designated home team for an international game as the NFL continues to expand its international slate of games. The New York Jets and Cleveland Browns will each play a game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The Jacksonville Jaguars will play a game at Wembley Stadium in London.
In addition to the Steelers playing the NFL’s first game ever in Dublin, the Colts will play the league’s first-ever regular-season game in Berlin, Germany. The NFL has had four games in Germany since 2022, with those matchups being split between Munich and Frankfurt.
The Miami Dolphins will also play in the NFL’s first regular-season game ever in Spain, serving as the designated home team for a game at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.
All the opponents for the international games will be announced when the NFL unveils its schedule for the 2025 season in the spring.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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