New York, NY (My Sportsbook) - The NFL announced on Monday that the exhibition game in China between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks that was set for this August has been rescheduled for the 2009 season.

The China Bowl, which was set to be played on August 9 at Beijing's Worker Stadium, will now be played in August of 2009 so the league can focus its global resources on the overseas regular-season contest between the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants on October 28.

"The regular-season game initiative was approved by NFL ownership after we announced the China Bowl," said senior vice president of NFL International Mark Waller. "Therefore, we will focus this year's efforts on the regular- season game."

The NFL will work with the Beijing municipal authorities to lock down an exact date in the near future.

"Our assessment is that Chinese fans would be better served if our game in China is played at a later date after we have launched our international series of regular-season games and more effectively paved the way for the introduction of our game into China," added Waller. "As a new sport in China, it is critical that we create the best platform for the introduction of the game. We are delighted Beijing authorities have agreed with our assessment and have invited us to play in Beijing in 2009."