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The NFL has spent the past few years ramping up its efforts to draw in fans outside of the United States while attempting to bring its product to an international audience with the help of the games it’s held in other countries, and the mayor of London is hoping that push culminates with a Super Bowl being played in the city.
It’s been close to 20 years since the NFL held a game outside of the United States for the first time when the Cardinals and the 49ers faced off in a regular season contest in Mexico City, and in 2007, it expanded its horizons when the Dolphins and the Giants went head-to-head at Wembley Stadium in London.
As things currently stand, that capital city has hosted a grand total of 36 games as part of what the NFL has officially dubbed the “International Series” with three more on the way this season (Mexico City has been the site for four, and Germany will tie that mark during a 2024 campaign where Brazil will be welcomed into the fold for the first time).
According to The Athletic, London mayor Sadiq Khan now has his eyes on the ultimate prize, as he recently told the outlet he’s angling to bring the Super Bowl to the city as part of his efforts to cement it as the “sporting capital of the world,” saying:
“The Super Bowl is really important for us. We have a number of American football games and I want it to come here because we want American sports fans in Europe to come to London to watch them, not just go to America.”
Last year, Roger Goodell hinted at the possibility he admitted the league has also taken into consideration, saying, “It is not impossible, and it is something that has been discussed before.”
As things currently stand, the earliest London could host the Super Bowl is 2028, as the sites for the next three seasons have already been firmed up.
When you consider The Big Game isn’t really designed with ordinary fans in mind when it comes to the demographics of the people who attend it in person, it’s hard to imagine the average fan would object to a London Super Bowl, so it’ll be interesting to see if it actually comes to fruition at some point in the near future.