Raiders, Texans to play in Mexico City in 2016
HOUSTON -- The Texans will play a regular-season game against the Oakland Raiders in Mexico City on Monday, Nov. 21, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed Friday.
The game will mark the NFL's first International Series game outside London and the first game in Mexico City since 2005, when a crowd of 103,467 attended a Cardinals-49ers regular-season game at Estadio Azteca.
Houston has long been interested in returning to Mexico to play given the city's proximity and the opportunity to expand its fan base. Oakland is working through stadium issues after the owners voted not to allow the Raiders to move to Los Angeles in a meeting last month.
Since 2007, 14 NFL games have been played in London. Last season the Chiefs beat the Lions, the Jaguars beat the Bills and the Jets beat the Dolphins there. Three more games are scheduled for London in the 2016 season.
The Texans have long touted their Mexican fan base, an area the NFL wants to expand, and next year's Super Bowl is set to be held in Houston.
Houston's proximity to Mexico and ability to draw Mexican fans to Super Bowl LI festivities was part of the pitch that city officials and Texans owner Bob McNair made to win the championship game.
