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- First and only regular season game in Germany was held in 2011
- NHL and NHLPA plan to play games in European nation for next three years at least
The National Hockey League (NHL) is taking two games to Germany next season as part of a long-term growth strategy in the country.
The pair of fixtures will feature the Ottawa Senators and the Chicago Blackhawks and will be staged in Düsseldorf on 18th and 20th December respectively. It represents the second and third ever NHL regular season games to be played in Germany, with the first held back in 2011.
This is the first time the league will take multiple matches to Germany in the same campaign and form part of commitment to take regular season games to Germany for at least the next three seasons.
“Our deepened commitment to Germany as an important hockey country marks a critical next chapter for the NHL,” said Bill Daly, NHL deputy commissioner.
“By further investing in one of Europe’s most dynamic sports markets – both through the execution of major events and the development and implementation of grassroots initiatives – we intend to strengthen our presence and build stronger connections with German fans, partners and local communities.
“In prioritising our efforts here, we hope to accelerate hockey’s growth across the region, creating meaningful impact from the ground up.”
The NHL has also taged 21 exhibition matches in emrany, with the most recent fixture taking place in 2024. The league’s popularity has benefited from an increasing number of German stars, including the Senators’ Tim Stützle, Edmonton Oilers’ forward Leon Draisaitl and the Detroit Red Wings’ Moritz Seidler. Regular season matches will be complemented by new fan initiative and, last year, the NHL renewed its broadcast agreement for the DACH region with Sky Deutschland, which broadcasts the league alongside ESPN. DAZN additionally carries games through distributing the NHL.TV streaming service.
The NHL has also taken its grassroots programs such as the NHL Street Hockey programme to multiple European territories, including Germany. It has sought to deepen its connection to the continent by opening its first European office in Zurich last year.
SportsPro says…
The NHL sees an opportunity to expand its global footprint, fuelled by last year’s 4Nations Face-Off and the recent Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Germany now joins Sweden, Czechia and Finland as European countries to stage regular season games over recent years. The league told SportsPro in 2024 that it was a “priority market” alongside other European countries and that it would “change” its approach to international games to take the next step in its growth strategy.
The NHL joins the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Football League (NFL) as North American leagues to take regular season games to Germany, which boasts one of Europe’s largest economies and a large sporting fanbase.
One element that the NHL will have to contend with in Europe is the popularity of local ice hockey leagues, with several nations boasting hugely popular competitions that rival soccer and other sports in terms of attendance and media attention. The same is true to an extent with basketball although the NFL faces little competition in its own nation, never mind abroad.
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