Looking back at NFL’s history in Mexico originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Viva la NFL.
The American football league is heading south of the border in Week 11 to play a game in Mexico.
Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers will face Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals in an NFC West battle. This will be the second time that these franchises face off in Mexico.
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Here’s a full history of the games played in Mexico as part of the NFL International Series:
Which NFL teams are playing in Mexico in 2022?
As aforementioned, the 49ers and Cardinals will play in Mexico in Week 11 this season. Arizona will serve as the designated home team. The game will be played on Monday Night Football on Nov. 21 at 8:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. local time in Mexico City).
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Which NFL teams have played in Mexico before?
Only five other teams have played regular-season games in Mexico: the Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers.
The Raiders are the only team to play in Mexico twice, doing so in 2016 and 2017. But the 49ers and Cardinals will join them as each makes their second appearance in 2022.
The Los Angeles Rams were set to join this list in 2018, but their game against the Chiefs was moved to California due to poor field conditions. That game turned out to be the legendary 54-51 battle – the highest-scoring game in Monday Night Football history.
When was the first NFL game in Mexico?
The first NFL game in Mexico was held in 2005, when the Cardinals defeated the 49ers. After an 11-year gap, the NFL returned to Mexico in 2016 when the Raiders defeated the Texans. American football returned to Mexico City in 2017 and 2019 before a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mexico NFL game results
Two of the first four NFL games in Mexico were decided by one possession. Here are the full results:
2005: Cardinals 31, 49ers 14
2016: Raiders 27, Texans 20
2017: Patriots 33, Raiders 8
2018: Rams-Chiefs was moved to Los Angeles
2019: Chiefs 24, Chargers 17
2022: 49ers vs. Cardinals
Seven preseason games have been played in Mexico, with the first in 1978.
Where does the NFL play in Mexico?
Every NFL game in Mexico has been played at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The venue is one of the most iconic in the world, playing host to the FIFA World Cup Final in 1970 and 1986. It is also the home of the Mexican national fútbol team.
Will there be more NFL games in Mexico in the future?
Barring another global pandemic, the NFL plans to return to Mexico for one game per year for the foreseeable future. The NFL plays multiple games in England each year, and a Germany game was added for the first time in 2022.
