Patriots land in Munich ahead of Sunday's NFL game against the Detroit Lions

Patriots land in Munich

The New England Patriots arrived in Munich on 13 November aboard a Lufthansa Airbus A350-900 with the registration D-AIXT. A brass band greeted the squad at the airport, and the players were introduced to Bavarian pastimes, including stein holding. The arrival did not go to plan, because the aircraft rolled past its marked stopping point and the front left door no longer lined up with the staircase. Ground staff had to reposition the stairs, which then stood at an angle to the red carpet. Head coach Mike Vrabel also used a press conference two days before the game to quiz reporters on Germany's neighbours. Vrabel and the reporters named six of the nine countries, and the Netherlands, Belgium and the Czech Republic were left out.

Kick-off and broadcast

The game is set for Sunday, 15 November, at 15:30 local time in the Allianz Arena, with Detroit as the nominal home team. RTL shows it free to air from 14:30, one hour before kick-off. Sky also carries the match on pay TV, while RTL+ and Wow offer it as paid live streams. DAZN carries the game through its NFL Game Pass, which gives access to live and on-demand NFL games. Many pubs and sports bars across the city will show the match as well. Organisers recommend that ticket holders take the U6 to Fröttmaning, and car drivers can use car parks P2 and P3 from 10:30.

Teams heading into the game

The Lions arrive with six wins from eight games and have won their last four in a row. Their offence runs through quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Patriots stand at five wins and four defeats, and quarterback Drake Maye has steadied the team after an uneven start to the season. The Patriots face one of the tougher assignments of their season so far. Detroit's defence has also been a reliable part of its recent run of wins.

Detroit Lions6

New England Patriots5

Detroit Lions

6 wins

New England Patriots

5 wins

Data from the article text

Amon-Ra St. Brown and fan events

St. Brown is 27 and leads the Lions in receptions and receiving yards. After eight games he had 61 catches for 657 yards and five touchdowns, and he is one of Goff's main targets, especially on short and intermediate passes. His appearance in Munich carries personal significance for him. Eleven NFL teams with marketing rights in Germany booked pubs for match day or the days before. The Lions are at the Hofbräuhaus, the Patriots at the Paulaner im Tal and Augustiner Stammhaus, the Steelers at the Hard Rock Café, and the Packers at the Nachtkantine near Ostbahnhof.