NFL Returns to London as European Franchise Talk Resumes — SkimNews
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- NFL plays three London games across October 2026: Colts vs Commanders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Oct 5), Eagles vs Jaguars at Tottenham (Oct 12), and Jaguars vs Texans at Wembley Stadium (Oct 18)
- The 2026 NFL season features a record nine regular-season international games, including debuts in Melbourne, Australia and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, plus a first-ever game in Paris in late October
- Roger Goodell raised the prospect of international franchises or a full European division during a summer appearance in Germany, suggesting a possible structure spanning London, Germany, Spain, and France
- Sky Sports' Neil Reynolds projects the international slate will grow to 10 games next season and potentially 16 annually, contingent on the regular season expanding from 17 to 18 games via NFLPA negotiations
- The "Formula 1 approach" of rotating different teams through 10-12 international markets to grow fanbases in each country remains the NFL's stated strategy while the franchise question stays open
Why it matters: The 2026 season's record nine international games — three in London alone — mark the NFL's most aggressive overseas push yet. Goodell's revived openness to permanent European franchises in markets like London, Germany, Spain, and France puts long-term NFL teams on the continent within plausible reach for the first time.
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