The NHL is looking to make its mark in Germany, which has become one of the fastest-growing hockey markets in the world. The league announced a multi-year partnership with one of the country's most iconic soccer clubs while scheduling multiple NHL games in the near future.
The NHL is headed to Germany next season, and some of the country's biggest stars will take center stage.
The league, in partnership with the NHL Player's Association, announced on Thursday that the annual Global Series will take place in Cologne and Munich during the 2027-28 season.
The Edmonton Oilers are set to play two regular-season games in Leon Draisaitl's hometown of Cologne, while the Boston Bruins and one of their newest acquisitions, J.J. Peterka, will be heading to Munich for a two-game set.
The 2026 Global Series will already be heading to Germany in December, with the Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators scheduled to play two games in Düsseldorf. Those will be the first NHL games held in Germany since the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings matched up in Berlin back in 2011.
"These events represent an important step in our commitment to grow the game in Germany," Deputy commissioner Bill Daly announced in a press release by the league on Thursday.
"By bringing more NHL games to one of Europe's most dynamic hockey markets, we hope to continue to deepen engagement amongst our fans, partners and local communities, while at the same time creating a significant opportunity to grow the game throughout the country."
In an additional announcement, the NHL and German soccer club FC Bayern Munich have partnered on a multi-year commitment in an effort to grow hockey in Germany.
Draisaitl, Peterka, and Daly were joined by Canada Soccer and FC Bayern star Alphonso Davies at the team's training facility in Munich on Thursday to reveal the news.
J.J. Peterka, Alphonso Davies, and Leon Draisaitl appear at Säbener Straße to reveal the NHL's multi-year partnership with FC Bayern Munich (REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth)As part of the agreement, the partnership will lead to the creation of a platform for cross-sport collaboration, community engagement, youth outreach, and original content development.
“Germany continues to be one of the NHL’s most important international growth markets, and FC Bayern is among the most recognizable and respected sports brands in the world,” president of NHL business Keith Wachtel said during the announcement.
“By combining the NHL's passion for hockey with FC Bayern's extraordinary reach and connection to fans, we have a tremendous strategic opportunity to introduce more people to our game, deepen engagement with existing fans and create unique experiences.”
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