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London NFL franchise a step closer as four games confirmed for 2017

The likelihood of an NFL franchise being permanently based in the capital took a step closer to becoming a reality today after it was confirmed that London would host four regular-season games next year.

Exact teams and venues have yet to be announced; however, the Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars have all been confirmed to be involved in some capacity.

The fixtures will mean 21 games have been played in the UK since 2007, as American football’s popularity has exploded in the last decade.

Next year’s schedule will put London’s appetite for the game to the test, marking the highest number of regular-season games to take place in the city since the NFL began staging matches in the UK.

With four games also representing the equivalent to half of a team’s home schedule of regular-season games, the series could also be a significant litmus test for the viability of a full-time London-based NFL franchise.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who has been a vocal supporter of a potential London NFL team, said the development was a ‘huge step’ towards his ultimate ambition for a team to be based in the city.

He said: “London staging a fourth NFL game is fantastic news – not only for the millions of sports fans who get to enjoy our iconic stadiums – but also because it confirms our status as the go-to choice for hosting the world’s biggest sporting events.”

Confirmation of the NFL’s 2017 schedule in London will also be good news for Premier League football team, Tottenham Hotspur, who have earmarked a potential NFL collaboration as a way to recoup the cost of its new stadium.

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