The NFL continues to add more games to its upcoming London slate, with Chris Lehourites of The Associated Press reporting that the league will begin playing games at Twickenham Stadium, the home of England’s national rugby team, during the 2016 season. The NFL has since confirmed the agreement with the Rugby Football Union.
The partnership is for three years, and it’s a good bet that if it goes well, the two sides will extend it beyond 2018. For now, the NFL is scheduled to play one game per season at Twickenham Stadium from 2016 through 2018, though the agreement gives the league the opportunity to stage two additional games there over that period.
“We are committed to continuing to grow our sport in the UK and believe that adding Twickenham Stadium to our roster of host venues in London is further evidence of that commitment,” said Mark Waller, the NFL’s executive vice president of international, in a statement. “We are very excited to give our fans the opportunity to enjoy NFL action at another world-class venue famous for attracting loyal and passionate fans from across the globe.”
In addition to the games at Twickenham Stadium, the NFL will also play at least two games per season at Wembley Stadium through at least the 2020 season, and will begin playing at least two games per year at Tottenham’s new soccer stadium in 2018.
In 2018 then, there will be at least five London games on the NFL’s schedule, with a good chance for more. The league has also indicated a desire to play games in countries beyond the U.K., such as Mexico and Germany, as early as next season.