LAKE FOREST — As it turns out, the Bears won’t play a game overseas in 2023.

After months of speculation that the team would face the Chiefs in Germany during the regular season, the NFL has had a change of heart, and will instead have the Dolphins take on the reigning champs in Europe.

That contest will be played Sunday, November 5 at 8:30 a.m. central time at Frankfurt Stadium and is one of five international games for the NFL this season.

Earlier this week, Peter King of NBC reported that the Chiefs requested not to have the Bears’ game be their one home game played in Germany. This is scheduled to be the NFC team’s first visit to Arrowhead Stadium since the 2015 season.

The rest of the Bears & 2023 NFL schedule is scheduled to be released in full on Thursday at 7 p.m. central time.

Going overseas has become an annual tradition for the NFL with the exception of the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. The Bears’ last trip overseas was in 2019 when they lost to the Raiders 24-21 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.

That was one of three regular season games the Bears have played internationally, including October 23, 2011, when they beat the Buccaneers 24-18 at Wembley Stadium. The year before, they knocked off the Bills 22-19 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, which was a home game for Buffalo.

Overall, the Bears have played nine games outside of the United States, with six of those being exhibition contests.

Their first two games were in Canada, as the Bears faced Giants on August 15, 1960 at Varsity Stadium in Toronto then the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes on August 5, 1961 at Molson Stadium in Montreal. George Halas’ team defeated New York 16-7 and the Alouettes 34-16.

On August 3, 1986, the reigning Super Bowl champion Bears beat the Cowboys in the American Bowl 17-6 at Wembley Stadium in London. Sweden was the destination for an exhibition game two years later against the Vikings as they met in the Volvo American Football Classic. Minnesota won that game 28-21 at Ullevi Stadium in Göteborg.

In the 1990s, the Bears would head to Europe for two more American Bowls, losing to the 49ers 21-7 on August 3, 1991 at Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany. On July 27, 1997, the American Bowl was staged in Dublin, Ireland, with the Bears losing to the Steelers at Croke Park 30-17.

Here is the 2023 NFL international schedule

October 1 – Falcons vs. Jaguars – Wembley Stadium – 8:30 a.m. central time

October 8 – Jaguars vs. Bills – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – 8:30 a.m. central time

October 15 – Ravens vs Titans – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – 8:30 a.m. central time

November 5 – Dolphins vs. Chiefs – Frankfurt Stadium – 8:30 a.m. central time

November 12 – Colts vs. Patriots – Frankfurt Stadium – 8:30 a.m central time