Winnipeg expected to host NFL exhibition game between Oakland, Green Bay

Jun 4, 2019 | 12:02 PM

WINNIPEG — It seems the NFL is coming to Winnipeg.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will hold a news conference at Investors Group Field on Wednesday. It’s expected the CFL club will announce the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers will play an exhibition game at the venue the third week in August.

Earlier this off-season, there was a conditional hold placed on Mosaic Stadium in Regina for the Oakland-Green Bay contest. However, in March the event promoter informed Saskatchewan officials that the decision was made not to pursue the contest there.

The game will be a home contest for Oakland, which will play one more season in California before moving to Las Vegas in 2020.

When plans for Regina fell through, the Bombers said in a statement, “the Winnipeg Football Club is always exploring opportunities to host events at Investors Group Field.”

As a result, Winnipeg is expected to host its first-ever NFL game.

The most recent NFL game in Canada was a Buffalo Bills regular-season contest against the Atlanta Falcons in Toronto in 2013 as part of the Bills Toronto series, which was cancelled prior to the 2014 season.

The Canadian Press