NFL UK: What’s on tap for London Games in 2019?

The NFL has played 28 official games in London since 2007. It seems that the American football league, who failed to make lasting inroads to the United Kingdom for over a decade, has found a niche and is set to continue for the long haul. The NFL 2019 season just kicked off and anticipation for this year’s London Games are high. NFL fans can visit this website to wager on the four games that will be played in London this year.

Eight teams will make the trans-Atlantic flight to the shores of Great Britain with two stadiums hosting fixtures. Tottenham Hotspur and Wembley Stadiums will be the sites of the four games which will take place between Sunday 6 October and Sunday 3 November.

The Games

Four games will be played this season with the pick of the litter being the Cincinnati Bengals versus Super Bowl LIII runners-up the Los Angeles Rams. Although the Bengals have started off the NFL season poorly and will most likely miss out on the AFC Playoffs once more, the Rams are one of the league’s best teams. Behind the throwing arm of Jared Goff and the running of tailback Todd Gurley, the Rams are an exciting team that NFL fans love to watch. UK NFL fans can wager on the Bengals and Rams game with no code for Totesport and bet on the team they believe will win in London.

The three other games on tap for London 2019 include the Chicago Bears playing the Oakland Raiders. This season marks the final year the Raiders will play in the city of Oakland. They will relocate to Las Vegas in 2020 due to issues over a new stadium not being developed in Oakland.

The October 13th NFL game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will see NFC South rivals the Carolina Panthers take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers are owned by Manchester United owners the Glazers. The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars will meet in the final London NFL game of the season in what could dictate the AFC South’s playoff representative.

Will London ever get an NFL team?

Since the NFL found its niche in London, which seems to be growing every season, rumors have been rife over London receiving an expansion gridiron team. Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium was developed with NFL games in mind and it could be a potential home for a gridiron franchise.

As in all American sports, the relocation of franchises is a possibility in the NFL and several cities have experienced it in recent seasons. St. Louis and San Diego saw their teams flee for Los Angeles and in 2020, Oakland will lose their franchise to Las Vegas over issues with the Raiders’ stadium.

The Buffalo Bills are trying to get the city’s council and New York state government to fund the building of a new stadium. If they don’t get it, the Bills, an institution in Buffalo since 1960, could relocate. London may be a possible destination, while the English capital could also attract an expansion franchise.

The potential for London to receive an NFL team of its own is at its highest point ever. The UK has shown it enjoys gridiron action and the NFL has found space in the sports landscape across the pond.

However, the only issue is, will fans attend eight games plus potential playoff matches during the NFL season? UK fans could become fickle once given a full-time team.