The NFL has announced its annual international series of games, including four key match-ups being hosted in London where Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium will have another chance of seeing gridiron debut at the delayed venue.
Both Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur’s new home will see two games each for the 2019-2020 season, with two teams – the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – making the trip for the first time.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, which has taken the title of London’s adopted home team, will feature for the seventh consecutive season to face off against the Houston Texans. The full fixture line-up for the international series will be:
UK: Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
UK: Chicago Bears at Oakland Raiders
UK: Cincinnati Bengals at Los Angeles Rams
UK: Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars
Mexico: Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers
All eyes will, once again, be on the billion dollar Tottenham Hotspur stadium, which is still being built. It was unable to host its NFL international game in 2018 due to delays, where it was expected to open last August and show off the new venue with its high-tech retractable artificial turf specifically for NFL games.
England’s national soccer stadium, Wembley Stadium, had to step in to host all NFL London games, selling out seats at the 90,000 venue. Despite looking at a March 2019 opening date, no official date has been given from Tottenham Hotspur. However, with NFL London games typically being played in October, there is some time for the club to prepare.
As well as London, the NFL will also play a fixture once again in Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. Last year’s game, originally scheduled in Mexico, was also marred by stadium troubles and forced the NFL to relocate to Los Angeles due to poor turf conditions.
