The Detroit Lions are officially heading to Germany for the 2026 NFL season—and the buzz is building over who they'll face across the Atlantic.

Set to kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 15, from FC Bayern Munich Stadium, this Week 10 showdown marks a major milestone for the Lions' international presence. But the big question remains: who will be their opponent?

Lions president and CEO Rod Wood recently sat down with Brad Galli and dropped a tantalizing hint: the Chicago Bears haven't been ruled out. That's right—a division rival could be packing their bags for Germany.

Here's the twist: the NFL used to block all division matchups in international games. But with the league expanding its global schedule, teams now can only protect two of their three division rivals. For the Lions, that means the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings are off the table—but the Bears are fair game.

"We get to eliminate two teams," Wood explained. "So, we will not play Green Bay and we will not play Minnesota in Germany. I would be surprised if we play the Bears, but that is a possibility." He added that several teams are actively campaigning to be the Lions' opponent, drawn by the marketing opportunities in Germany.

For Bears fans hoping for a different international matchup, there's a curveball. The Atlanta Falcons were a potential candidate to face Chicago abroad, but the league has since announced that the Falcons will host the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid during Week 9. That opens the door a little wider for a Lions-Bears clash in Munich.

Whether it's a classic NFC North rivalry or a fresh non-division matchup, one thing is certain: the NFL's global stage is getting bigger, and the Lions are right in the middle of it. Fans will find out for sure when the league announces the opponent on Wednesday.