Michigan Football Could Open 2026 Season Overseas

ANN ARBOR, MI — The Michigan Wolverines could open their 2026 season next month in Europe.

The team is "engaged in ongoing discussions" to play the Western Michigan Broncos in Frankfurt, Germany, on Aug. 29, team officials said Friday.

The game would be played at Deutsche Bank Park, which is the home of the Eintracht Frankfurt of the German soccer league Bundesliga. The 55,000-seat stadium has hosted five NFL games previously.

"The University of Michigan is one of the few worldwide brands in college athletics and the interest in playing an international game would be unique. This would be a great opportunity to teach ‘Go Blue’ to a new group of fans in Germany," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel confirmed in a statement.

If the game were to happen, it would be the first time the Wolverines have ever played outside of North America. The Broncos, on the other hand, have played two international games: the 2007 International Bowl in Toronto and 2015 Bahamas Bowl.