Roger Goodell, the commissioner for American football’s NFL, has confirmed the league has discussed staging a future Super Bowl in London, England as it looks to expand its international profile.
Speaking to a fan forum in London to promote the regular season game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Tennessee Titans in the city, Goodell said while such a move will not be happening soon, it is being considered.
Go deeper with GlobalData
He said: “It's not impossible, and it's something that has been discussed before.
“I think that is not out of the question. But at the end of the day, I think right now our formula will stay the same about playing [Super Bowls] in cities that have franchises.”
The next three Super Bowls are already scheduled to be played in Las Vegas (Allegiant Stadium), New Orleans (Caesars Superdome), and Santa Clara (Levi’s Stadium) but from the 2027 edition onwards, the league can choose to stage them outside the US.
Earlier this year, the NFL said it has 14.3 million casual fans in the UK and Ireland and the league has stated its desire to establish a London franchise by around 2025.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataHowever, a potential Super Bowl in London could cause some logistical problems, including moving the game to an evening kick-off in the city to ensure viewers in the US can watch in the afternoon.
The league is staging five international regular-season games this season in London and Frankfurt, Germany as part of its international growth plan.
The London swing kicked off with the Jacksonville Jaguars taking on the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium on October 1 as part of a deal that sees the London venue host one game per season. That deal is due to expire next year.
The Jaguars then played the Buffalo Bills on October 8, while the Titans faced off against the Ravens on Sunday (October 15). Both those games were held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as part of a partnership between the NFL and English soccer club Tottenham Hotspur through the 2029-30 season.
That deal sees the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium become the official home of all NFL games staged in the UK.
The NFL’s Germany games, meanwhile, come as part of a deal running through 2025 and will see Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs play the Miami Dolphins on November 5 at Frankfurt Stadium. A match-up between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts will then follow on November 12.
Both the Chiefs and Patriots have been allocated Germany as an International Home Marketing Area (IMHA) through a program that began at the end of 2021.
The Jaguars, meanwhile, have been assigned the UK as an IHMA, with a long-standing association with that country. They will play their 10th and 11th fixtures there this year. In total, 33 NFL games have been held in London so far.
The league has prioritized increasing its international presence after awarding IHMAs to 18 of its 32 franchises across eight countries to build its brand appeal and fanbase globally.
The eight IHMAs are the UK, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Spain, China, and Australia. Franchises are not limited to just one and indeed in some cases now have access to three.
Last month, NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said the league is preparing to play future international regular-season games in Spain and Brazil as soon as next season.
