When Did the NFL Start Playing in London?

A history of the NFL in London, from the first game in 2007 to today. Plus, what’s next for the NFL in London?

Introduction

The NFL first started playing regular season games in London in 2007. Since then, the NFL has played a total of 27 regular season games in London, with 17 of those games taking place at Wembley Stadium and 10 taking place at Twickenham Stadium. In total, 23 different teams have played in London as part of the NFL International Series.

The First International Series Game

The first International Series game was played on October 28, 2007 between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium. The game was billed as the NFL’s “homecoming” to London and was a huge success, with 84,254 fans in attendance.

It was clear that there was a large enough interest in American football in London to justify more games, and so the NFL began to plan for future International Series games. In subsequent years, multiple games have been played each season in London. The number of teams playing has also increased, with all 32 NFL teams now having played at least one game in London.

The Growth of International Games

The NFL has been playing regular season games in London since 2007, with the number of games increasing in recent years. The first game was between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins, with the Giants winning 13-10. Since then, there have been 27 more regular season games played in London, as well as three NFL International Series games, which are preseason contests.

The number of teams playing in London has also increased over time. In 2007, there were four teams involved in the International Series games over the course of two weeks. In 2014, that number increased to six teams playing three games. In 2015, there were eight teams playing four games, and in 2016 there were ten teams playing four games.

The growth of the International Series has been attributed to a number of factors. First, it provides exposure for the NFL in a world market. Second, it provides an opportunity for NFL fans in the UK to see live action without having to travel to the United States. Finally, it is seen as a way to grow the sport of American football internationally.

In recent years, there have been calls for an NFL team to be based in London permanently. This would require a number of changes to be made to both the rules of the game and how it is played, as well as potentially significant changes to player contracts. However, with the continued growth of the International Series, it is something that may eventually happen.

Conclusion

In 2007, the NFL played its first regular season game in London, England. The Miami Dolphins defeated the New York Giants 13-10 at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of over 81,000 fans. Since then, the NFL has played a total of 28 regular season games in London, with all but one of them taking place at Wembley Stadium.

The NFL’s London games have been an undeniable success, both in terms of attendance and TV ratings. In fact, the league has seen a bump in both metrics ever since it started playing games overseas. And with the league now expanding to include two more teams in London (the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Rams), that trend is only going to continue.