Michigan will play its 2026 season opener against Western Michigan in Frankfurt, Germany. The game will be held at Deutsche Bank Park, a soccer stadium with a retractable roof. This marks the first time Michigan will play a game outside the U.S., excluding practices held in Rome in 2017.

The NFL brought two regular-season games to Deutsche Bank Park in 2023: The Chiefs versus the Dolphins and the Colts against the Patriots.

U-M announced Friday, July 25, it is in the midst of “ongoing discussions” to kick off the 2026 season against Western Michigan at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany. The game, originally scheduled for Sept. 5, would be moved to Saturday, Aug. 29, and would become the first Wolverines game outside of North America.