NFL finalizing deal to play Preseason Week 3 Raiders-Packers game in Winnipeg

It looks as though the Raiders and Packers’ preseason matchup will take place in Winnpeg, Manitoba come August, according to Jeff Hamilton of the Winnipeg Free Press.

Levi Damien previously reported that the location of the game was down to Green Bay or Winnipeg a few weeks ago, and it looks like Winnipeg won out. There have been a few other Canadian cities in consideration to host this game, as I reported back in March, but the timing with other CFL teams such as Regina and Edmonton was never right to host this game. However, the Blue Bombers will be on the road that week, which is Week 11 of their season, so there is no conflict for the club.

There will be a soccer game held at Winnipeg’s IG Field on Thursday, August 22, so it may be expected that the game will take place on either Saturday, August 24, or Sunday, August 25. No date is set in stone yet and the game has yet to be formally announced to take place in Winnipeg, but as soon as the date and time are known you’ll read it here.

Week 3 is always the most exciting of the preseason weeks as the starters get a lot of run, so maybe we’ll get to see Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs and Antonio Brown go up against A. A. Ron Rodgers, Davante Adams and nobody else in particular ahead of their regular season matchup in Green Bay scheduled for October 20. This brings the total number of countries that the Raiders will compete in this year to three, and I fully expect them to host the Seattle Seahawks on the Moon by the year 2025.