NFL Expanding London Operation with Tottenham Hotspur Partnership

The NFL is set to expand their British operation beginning in 2018, when they begin hosting games at English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium in London.

The stadium, which is under construction now, is set to open in 2018. That year will mark the beginning of a 10-year partnership between the club and the NFL, during which two-games a year will be played at the state of the art venue.

The new stadium will feature a retractable grass surface for its normal function, as a soccer venue. When NFL teams come to London, the retractable grass will be retracted to reveal a FieldTurf surface, on which the visiting American Footballers will play.

"We have an opportunity now to deliver one of the most unique sports, leisure and entertainment venues in the world, bringing together the EPL and NFL for the first time,” said Daniel Levy, Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur. “The socio- economic benefits this will bring to the area will be immense and demonstrates our commitment to the regeneration of this priority borough in London.”

This doesn’t mean the NFL’s presence in London will be limited to the new stadium, of course. They will continue to hold games at other venues, presumably including Wembley, the home of the NFL’s recent series of London games and the site of the Cowboys’ 31-17 win over the Jaguars last season.

“With growing enthusiasm for the NFL in the United Kingdom, we are committed to hosting NFL games in world-class venues and are excited to partner with Tottenham Hotspur to play games at their future stadium,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “We share a vision and commitment to creating the best experience for our teams, fans and the local community.”