Feb 19, 2026
3 min read
But no cheating
An announcement made by the National Football League on Wednesday means the Minnesota Vikings may have an international game in 2026, but not an outdoor game.
The Vikings may yet end up with an international game
But not the foreign game
let me explain
The league announced that the San Francisco 49ers will serve as the home team for the Week 13 or 14 game at Banorte Stadium in Mexico City this December.The game will be one of two international games for the Niners in 2026, as both teams announced they will open the 2026 regular season against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL's first game in Australia when they begin play in Melbourne in Week 1.
The Vikings have an away game scheduled against the 49ers this season, as both teams will finish third in their respective divisions in 2025. That means the Vikings, who themselves had two games overseas last season, could potentially find themselves as the away team for another international competition.This time, however, they would not have to leave the North American continent or the central time zone.
This will be the NFL's sixth game in Mexico and the first since 2022, when the Niners defeated the Arizona Cardinals in the same stadium.Estadio Banorte was recently closed for renovations as it was to be one of the venues to host the next World Cup.The renovation will also expand the stadium's capacity to seat 90,000 people.
Since the schedule hasn't been announced yet, and won't be announced until sometime after the 2026 NFL draft, it won't really change any potential travel plans one might have if planning to take in a Vikings road game.But would you take a trip to Mexico City to see the Vikings if you had the chance?
