An NFL preseason game is coming to Canada this summer

For the first time in six years, the NFL will play a game north of the border.

And for the first time ever, it will take place in Winnipeg.

Safe to say @LWillson_82 is fired up to play in his home country.

More on our preseason game in Winnipeg » https://t.co/QyCsyLv19h 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/CtB2Z1FEUc

— Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) June 5, 2019

The Oakland Raiders will host the Green Bay Packers at IG Field, the 33,000-seat home of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Week 3 preseason game will take place Thursday, August 22.

The decision to play in the Manitoba capital comes after plans for a proposed game in Regina at the home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders fell through.

The Raiders will become the first NFL team to play in three different countries in a single season, as they’re scheduled to play a regular season home game in London, England on October 6.

"I'm sure there's a bunch of #Packers fans up there, because they're everywhere!"@AaronRodgers12 is excited to play in Canada this preseason 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/0NmaZEznUr

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) June 5, 2019

There’s an incentive for the Raiders to play ‘home’ games away from Oakland, as the franchise prepares to move to Las Vegas in 2020, leaving them in an awkward position with Bay Area fans.

“We are thrilled to welcome both the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers to IG Field this summer,” said Blue Bombers President and CEO Wade Miller. “We look forward to NFL and CFL fans alike joining us this August for this special sporting event at IG Field as we showcase our great stadium and the city’s passion for the sport of football.”

Tickets for the game will go on sale to the general public on Saturday, June 8 at 10 am Central Time, ranging in price from $75 to $340 CAD.

The NFL has not staged a game in Canada since the Buffalo Bills’ six-year run at Rogers Centre in Toronto ended in 2013. The last preseason game held in Canada outside of Toronto was a 1998 matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers held at BC Place in Vancouver.