The NFL’s expansion into London is continuing after it reached an agreement for Twickenham to stage three regular-season American football games over the next three years.
The deal, which is the first of its kind for the Rugby Football Union, will start in October 2016, with the first fixture to be announced later this year.
The agreement will also give the NFL the opportunity to stage two additional games over the same 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 executive vice-president of international.
“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.”
Sophie Goldschmidt, the RFU’s chief commercial and marketing officer, said: “We are delighted to welcome the NFL to Twickenham, a stadium that has played such an integral role in what has been the biggest Rugby World Cup ever.
“The NFL has a strong and growing fan base in the UK, and this, combined with the investments we’ve made in our stadium will give fans more opportunities to experience the action first-hand at a world-class venue. We look forward to working with the NFL on this partnership.”
The NFL recently announced that it has extended its Wembley Stadium agreement, with a minimum of two games per year to be played there through to 2020.
Earlier this year, the NFL reached agreement with Tottenham Hotspur to play at least two games per year at the Premier League club’s new stadium, beginning in 2018.
That means there will be a minimum of five regular-season NFL games in London in 2018, two at Wembley, two at Tottenham’s stadium and one at Twickenham.
The NFL first played a regular-season game at Wembley in 2007, when the New York Giants beat the Miami Dolphins 13-10. This season, the league had three games at the stadium, concluding on Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs beats the Detroit Lions 45-10.
