The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium have played a hugely influential role in the global expansion of the National Football League (NFL).
The United Kingdom hosted its first regular-season game in 2007, and it has been a key part of the NFL’s long-term goal to spread its wings across the globe since then.
Tottenham’s stadium has become a permanent home of sorts for the league in London thanks to its retractable pitch and dressing rooms spacious enough to house NFL players.
During the renovation, a Formula One-style go-kart experience was installed underneath the stadium. The 62,850-capacity venue has since hosted numerous NFL games and has shown no signs of slowing down.
The NFL and Tottenham have enjoyed a positive relationship since the Premier League club opened its doors to American Football in October 2019.
Tottenham hosted its 10th NFL regular-season game when Caleb Williams’ Chicago Bears and Trevor Lawrence’s Jacksonville Jaguars faced off in a blockbuster duel of star quarterbacks.
Meanwhile, Wembley’s rich history as a versatile host venue has given it a significant role to play in the NFL’s international strategy.
Both venues are eager to further develop their relationship with the NFL, but other countries also want to jump on the bandwagon.
International Interest in Hosting NFL Games
NFL’s successful expansion in the UK has become a beacon for other countries, including Australia, who are eager to capitalise on the league’s international appeal.
As part of the latest series of handouts in the International Series for American Football, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is set to host NFL games from 2026.
In a new multi-year deal announced in Super Bowl week, the NFL said the match would be played at the 100,000-capacity stadium, with the Los Angeles Rams set to be the designated home team.
There are talks that the game will likely be played in Week One of the regular season. That would give both teams time to shake off any jet lag, adapt to the time zone and promote the event.
London will tighten its grip on the international NFL calendar with three games scheduled for next season.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets are scheduled to play at Tottenham’s stadium and Wembley, continuing the long-standing relationship between the UK and the NFL.
However, an expansion to Australia would inevitably put pressure on the NFL to cut overseas games elsewhere, with the league also playing in Brazil and Germany recently.
With 25 franchises given permission to market themselves in foreign territories, Australia has been identified as a major target, and the betting industry could make the most of the expansion.
The newly-crowned Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles are among the teams that could schedule games in Australia in the near future.
Given their profile, the bookmakers featured on comparison platform Mybettingaustralia.com would see a massive spike in activity if the Eagles play in Australia.
London Touted as a Future Super Bowl Venue
With Tottenham’s stadium and Wembley becoming key parts of the NFL’s plans to expand its global footprint, there are talks about London potentially hosting the Super Bowl.
The Super Bowl is arguably the biggest sporting event in the United States, and the economic impact would be massive.
NFL experts believe the Super Bowl offers a mouth-watering $500 million boost to whichever city hosts the event, and major players in UK politics are keen to tap into that fortune.
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has promised to bring major sporting evenings to the city. He also mentioned his ‘longer-term ambition’ to host the Super Bowl in the future.
If Khan delivers on his promise, it would be a huge step in his bid to ‘fully cement London’s reputation as the undisputed sports capital of the world’.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has admitted there is a chance the Super Bowl could be hosted overseas, while Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has made a bid for their stadium to host the showpiece in 2026.
There is a decent chance that the Super Bowl could reach the UK this decade, but it remains to be seen whether Tottenham’s stadium or Wembley will do the honours.