San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle loves playing international football games.
The NFL is expanding its international slate for 2026, featuring the usual games in England and Germany while also returning to Mexico and Spain, alongside trips to Brazil and first-ever regular-season games in France and Australia.
The latter is where Kittle will aim to take the field with the 49ers in Week 1, depending on his Achilles injury. Things are looking positive, so there’s a good chance he could come back and return much sooner than expected.
There are nine international games this season, but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has previously said he wants to increase that number to 16, allowing every NFL franchise to play one game outside the United States each season.
George Kittle lists two NFL international venues he’d play at 
Aug 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) watches pre-game festivities prior to a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I think the first one in my head I’d love to in Germany. I visited Munich for the first time this past year and I had a great time there. So, wherever there’s a big stadium [Allianz Arena], that’d be fun,” shared Kittle exclusively to 49ers on SI’s Henry Cheal.
“Or wherever Manchester United [Old Trafford] plays because those games look absolutely crazy. Because I just know, like, soccer fans are actually insane and that’s a compliment to you guys. But I would love to play in front of that crowd. That’d be really fun at some point in my life.”
Both the Allianz Arena and Old Trafford can hold more than 70,000 fans, and both stadiums have immense character that can attract a global audience. There is rich football (soccer) history entrenched in both venues, and both of Kittle’s choices make sense.
England has a longstanding partnership with the NFL but has hosted only regular-season games in London. A switch, or even an addition, to have a game in Manchester would not only make the NFL more accessible for some UK fans, but also allow them to experience it at a stadium that is home to one of the biggest sporting organizations in English football.
Munich (and the rest of Germany, for that matter) has already hosted NFL games, and the country has proven to be a resounding success for the league. That makes the Allianz Arena a much safer choice, but perhaps also a less adventurous one compared to taking the NFL to Manchester.
The NFL International Series is always good, but it must always have the players’ welfare in mind.
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