The National Football League (NFL) has announced contingency plans for a potential AFC Championship Game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs. Should both teams advance through the playoffs, this highly anticipated matchup would be held at a neutral site: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
This decision arises from the unprecedented cancellation of the Week 17 game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. To address the competitive imbalance created, the NFL approved a resolution outlining the possibility of a neutral venue for the AFC Championship under specific conditions. This condition is triggered if both the Bills and Chiefs reach the title game, having played an unequal number of games, and both being in contention for the number one seed and home-field advantage had a full 17-game season been played by all AFC teams.
Therefore, if the playoffs unfold with both Buffalo and Kansas City emerging victorious in the preceding rounds, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is set to host the AFC Championship Game. Atlanta was pre-selected by the NFL as a potential backup location for postseason contests before the 2022 season commenced due to its near equidistant location from both Buffalo and Kansas City, making it a fair meeting ground for fans of both teams, including those who might be driving down from Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City. For all other AFC Championship Game scenarios, the game will proceed as traditionally scheduled at the home stadium of the team with the higher seed.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated, “The ongoing recovery of Damar Hamlin is in our thoughts, as are Damar and his family with the entire NFL community. We extend our gratitude to Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons organization for their willingness to host the AFC Championship Game in Atlanta should it become necessary. We appreciate the cooperation of both the Falcons and the potential participating clubs in this planning process. We are confident that Mercedes-Benz Stadium will offer an exceptional and world-class experience for the competing teams, our fans, and our partners.â€
Further details regarding this potential neutral site game, including ticket sales and availability, will be released at a later time. Season Ticket Members for both the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs who have previously expressed interest in purchasing championship game tickets will be given priority access.
