It isn’t a secret anymore that the hatred of the Green Bay Packers runs deep for Chicago Bears fans. Sure, it has always been prevalent over the past century that the two teams have existed. However, over the past 30 years, that hatred has steadily come to a boil thanks to the Packers’ sheer domination over the Bears, courtesy of Hall of Fame quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. However, now that the rivalry seems to have reached a balance of late after Chicago defeated Green Bay twice last season, fans no longer fear being vocal about that animosity.
Throughout the season, people began hearing “Green Bay sucks!” chants. Mind you, these were just before or after Bears games. They were popping up in other sports. It was at a Blackhawks game one week, and then a Bulls game the next. Even the Chicago Cubs saw it happen at Wrigley Field. It turns out, those were just preliminaries for the big debut.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are taking place in Milan, Italy. Many U.S. athletes made the trip in search of gold medal glory. That includes the men’s hockey team, which took on Latvia on February 12th. When the game was tied 1-1 in the 2nd period, the craziest thing happened.
The Chicago Bears’ presence on the global stage is very real.
Seeing those chants pop up in the Chicagoland area is one thing. To see it surface across an entire ocean in another country is something else entirely. If people weren’t convinced how far the Bears’ reach was before, those doubts were put to rest with this revelation. This team has been building a strong presence overseas for years. Many believe it started in 1986, when the defending champion team traveled to England for the American Bowl. The group endeared themselves to the locals, and interest in the franchise began growing. Now they’re said to be the second-most popular team in the country behind only the Dallas Cowboys.
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It is also believed the Chicago Bears enjoy a strong following in Spain, which is only 375 miles from Italy. In hindsight, it shouldn’t be a surprise that several fans, both American and European, found their way to the Olympics. One could also argue that those chants had an effect. After they happened, the U.S. went on to score four unanswered goals, crushing Latvia 5-1. Hating Green Bay seems to bring out some magic these days.
The Bears will likely play an international game this year.
Up until now, the Chicago Bears have played all of their overseas games in the United Kingdom. However, with nine international games set up by the NFL for the 2026 season, there is a strong possibility the team will make its debut in a new country. Right now, the most likely options will be Germany, Spain, or Mexico. Keep in mind the Bears were given Spain as one of their designated regions by the league, and they could market exclusively in Spain, along with the United Kingdom. It feels like the perfect time for them to make their debut in Madrid this season.
Their opponent, based on the schedule, would probably be the Miami Dolphins. They also have marketing rights in Spain as well and would be the host team. It would be a fun rematch between Bears head coach Ben Johnson and Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, who was the Packers’ defensive coordinator before being hired there. Seems rather fitting when you think about it.
