Why does the NFL play games in London?
The 2022 NFL season kicked off on Sunday, October 2, 2022. Fans returned to cheer for their teams on their home field, but some teams have played home games internationally. Many have questions regarding some games scheduled to be played in London, the largest city in the United Kingdom. Let's take a look at the motive behind conducting games in a different country.
The primary objective of shifting some games to London has been to create a strong foundation for American football in England. To successfully do that, an eight-game season is scheduled in London. This long-term goal of the American franchise allows the sport to explore different audiences. With the rise in popularity of American football internationally, there have been some rumors about expanding the league.
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Whether this will happen is too soon to say and how it would work is a matter of some debate.
The NFL's history in London
The NFL officially began matches in London in 2007. Apart from Covid-19 regulations in 2020, all the other seasons witnessed games in the UK. A total of 32 games have now been played in 14 seasons. The league returned to London in 2021 following the outbreak of the coronavirus.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium in London is where the games take place. The pitches are restructured to accommodate NFL games and then reverted back for conducting soccer games. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has a capacity of seating of 62,850 people and is the third-largest in England. The stadium is also used to hold different events and concerts. The Twickenham Stadium in London was also used to host games prior to the construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (2019).
NFL London Games fixtures and dates
The NFL scheduled the following three games to be played in London for the 2022 season:
- Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints - October 2, 9:30 AM ET - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- New York Giants vs Green Bay Packers - October 9, 9:30 AM ET - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Denver Broncos vs Jacksonville Jaguars - October 30, 9:30 AM ET - Wembley Stadium
The Minnesota Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints 28-25 in what is widely accepted to have been the best international game ever played. The game was decided by a long field goal attempt by the Saints, which bounced twice off the uprights before falling short.
The Green Bay Packers were in a dominating position at half-time, leading the New York Giants 20-10. They failed to produce on offense in the second half and the Giants managed to record an unexpected 27-22 win.
Fans will doubtless be looking forward to the Denver Broncos playing the Jacksonville Jaguars at the end of October. Hopefully, it will be a fitting game to conclude the London-based fixtures.