The NFL Munich Game 2026 is now just around the corner. Lufthansa Flight LH2573 touched down at Munich Airport at 9:38 a.m. on Thursday, November 12.

The Patriots traveled aboard an Airbus A350-900 equipped with Lufthansa’s new Allegris premium cabin concept.

Players and staff were greeted on the tarmac by members of several German Patriots fan clubs. Head coach Mike Vrabel and quarterback Drake Maye also made the trip to Bavaria with the team.

This is the Patriots’ second appearance in Germany, following their trip to Frankfurt in 2023. More than 1,500 fans created a memorable atmosphere with a large march through downtown Frankfurt.

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This time, Munich is set to become the center of the Patriots community.

Lorenz Metz returns to his Bavarian home with the Patriots

For one player, the Munich Game is a particularly special experience.

Offensive tackle Lorenz Metz is from Neuötting in Upper Bavaria, where he grew up just around 90 kilometers from Munich.

The 29-year-old previously played for the Kirchdorf Wildcats in the German Football League before making it to the NFL via the University of Cincinnati.

Metz has been part of the New England Patriots organization since early 2026. He is currently on the franchise’s practice squad.

It has not yet been decided whether he will be on the active game-day roster on Sunday.

Even so, he is thrilled to be back in Bavaria.

After landing, Metz said he was impressed by the Lufthansa flight and the welcome from German fans.

He was especially excited to arrive in his Bavarian home with an NFL team.

The Patriots now have until Sunday’s game to adjust to the time difference and finish their preparations.

That includes planned training sessions at FC Bayern Munich’s facilities on Säbener Straße.

Six Super Bowl trophies and more than seven metric tons of equipment

The Patriots brought more than players and coaches with them for their trip to Germany.

All six of the franchise’s Vince Lombardi Trophies were also transported to Munich with Lufthansa.

According to the airline, the flight also carried more than seven metric tons of cargo, including 80 football helmets and a large amount of other sports equipment.

The Super Bowl trophies are reminders of the Patriots’ most successful era, led by Tom Brady. New England won six NFL championships between 2002 and 2019.

As part of their new partnership, Lufthansa and the Patriots are also supporting the increased use of sustainable aviation fuel. Together, they are backing the use of more than 20 metric tons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in flight operations.

For fans, a full weekend of football is now underway.

At the so-called Patriots Haus, visitors can see all six Super Bowl rings as well as memorabilia from the franchise’s history.

Saturday’s schedule also includes the big “Boston in Bavaria” fan party at the Augustiner Stammhaus.

On the field, however, the Patriots face a tough challenge.

New England arrives in Munich with five wins and four losses. The team most recently suffered a lopsided 45-27 loss to Green Bay.

Three players are already confirmed out: offensive lineman Ben Brown, cornerback Carlton Davis III and running back TreVeyon Henderson will not play against Detroit.

The Lions, meanwhile, are 6-2 and have won four straight games.

The NFL Munich Game between the New England Patriots and Detroit Lions kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 15, at Allianz Arena.

RTL will broadcast the game free-to-air, with pregame coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. Sky Sport and NFL Game Pass will also show the game live.