HOUSTON — The New England Patriots will play in Mexico City next season, but they won’t lose a home game.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced Wednesday at his annual Super Bowl news conference that the Patriots will play the Oakland Raiders in Mexico during the regular season. The Patriots were scheduled to play in Oakland next season, so the matchup will be a home game for the Raiders.
“The largest crowd the Patriots have played in front of was in Mexico City in 1998,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “It was a great experience and I am looking forward to our return. I know that we have a lot of passionate Patriots fans in Mexico. We have had plenty of success in international games and I attribute that to our tremendous fan support in those venues. I look forward to meeting some of our fantastic fans and enjoying the food and culture there in the fall.”
The Raiders played a home game in Mexico City at Azteca Stadium against the Houston Texans during the 2016 regular season. The Raiders won 27-20.
Goodell said a date has not been set for the Patriots-Raiders game at Azteca Stadium. Goodell said he’s leaning toward scheduling the game on a Sunday.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
