Detroit City Wire

The Detroit Lions and German soccer club 1. FC Köln have announced a multi-year strategic partnership aimed at increasing their international presence and engaging fans in both the United States and Germany. The agreement includes collaboration on sports, community initiatives, and commercial opportunities.

"We are thrilled to launch our first international strategic partnership with 1. FC Köln to connect two incredible fanbases," said Ashton Mullinix, Senior Vice President of Consumer Revenue & Analytics for the Detroit Lions. "This collaboration brings together two teams with proud histories, resilient fanbases, and unmatched loyalty from their communities. Both clubs helped shape their leagues in their respective countries in countless ways, have deep cultural roots, and a strong sense of pride. We are excited to grow the game of American football globally and create meaningful experiences for our fans both in the United States and Germany."

Under the partnership, the organizations will hold events for fans in both countries such as youth football and soccer clinics, watch parties, co-branded digital content initiatives, shared business opportunities including corporate partnerships and summits, as well as cross-team access to facilities in Detroit and Cologne.

1. FC Köln is one of Germany’s largest football clubs with more than 150,000 members. Founded in 1948, it has won three German championships and four DFB-Pokal titles since its inception. The club is looking to reach new audiences through collaborations like this one.

"Cologne and Detroit are not only linked by sport, but also by their history as an important location for the automotive industry. In this case, both cities have historical links to the car manufacturer, Ford," said Philipp Liesenfeld, Managing Director at 1. FC Köln. "New collaborations are an elementary building block for gaining new impetus, adopting new perspectives and tapping into new target groups. With the Detroit Lions, we have found an ideal partner to mutually expand our global reach and deepen fan engagement."

The announcement follows the Detroit Lions’ entry into the NFL’s Global Markets Program in 2024—a league initiative started in 2022 that allows NFL teams to apply for international marketing rights through proposals reviewed by an International Committee. Clubs selected can pursue marketing activities abroad similar to those they conduct domestically for at least five years under this program (https://nflcommunications.com/Pages/NFL-Announces-First-Clubs-to-Participate-in-the-International-Home-Marketing-Area-Initiative.aspx).

The Lions’ partnership with 1. FC Köln is part of broader efforts under this program to build brand awareness overseas through events, fan engagement activities, and commercial development.