Broncos Exec Shares Preference for Location of 2025 International Game

The Denver Broncos have a preference for which European city they might play in this coming season.

Aug 26, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos president Damani Leech before the preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos seem to be headed towards playing an international game this season. The Broncos have opponents on their 2025 regular-season schedule that forecast a possible international game, opening the door to an audience abroad.

With the annual NFL meetings underway in Palm Beach, FL, we discovered that, if they're to play in Europe this season, the Broncos have a preference. Team president Damani Leech made it clear the Broncos would prefer to play in Berlin, Germany, rather than London, England. 

“Berlin is the first choice with London being the second choice," Leech said on Monday.

The Broncos would be the away team in either match. We also know who the possible 'home' team would be for the two games.

The Indianapolis Colts would be the home team for the Berlin game, and the New York Jets would be the home team for one of the three London Games. Another potential international match for the Broncos could be against the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil. 

Leech provided some further insight on why Berlin is favored, and it has much to do with head coach Sean Payton's preference.

“On the Berlin side, I’d personally say I was surprised. Sean really vocalized his interest in playing in Germany," Leech said. "I think some of that goes back to [that] he likes to travel, I think he likes the team being alone-ish together and what that does from a culture standpoint with the team. He likes the idea of being first and playing in a city like Berlin for the first time in the NFL regular season.”

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With the Broncos preferring Berlin over London, if they get it, that would account for their game against the Colts. The NFL typically listens to teams when they volunteer for an international game, and the Broncos' preference could be interpreted that way. 

If the Broncos don’t get the Berlin game, there's a good chance they'll get to take on the Jets in London. Throughout the offseason, the Broncos have been linked to one of those two games, unrelated to the possibility of taking on their divisional foe in Brazil. 

There's a good chance the Broncos will end up with an international game, and thankfully, it would be counted as an away game and not a home game. That keeps Denver with nine actual home games, while only seven away in its opponents' stadiums.

In all honesty, international games are more of an away game for both teams, where the crowd isn't as impactful. We'll find out soon enough what the NFL ultimately opts to do with the Broncos' international games this coming season.

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