The whole franchise setup is certainly peculiar compared to other global sports. That said it is conceivable that a franchise will find itself in London in the not too distant future. It is a massive market, a global city with extensive exposure, that absorbs sports unlike any other on the planet. The number of games played in London has grown over the years, all with high attendances. Last year, two games were played at Wembley, with another two at Twickenham.
What probably changes everything in terms of London securing a franchise is the opening this year of the new White Hart Lane; Tottenham Hotspurs’ new home in north London. It has a capacity of 62,000 (so smaller than Twickenham and Wembley), but with two critical differences: it was built with NFL in mind, and more importantly – and what is probably a world first – a second retractable pitch; one for football, and a second for American football.
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The first NFL game is due to be played at the new WHL this October.