Four NFL London games announced for 2017
The NFL today announced the four games that will take place in London next season, the first time the league will play four games – half of a home schedule of regular-season games – in the UK capital.
The 2017 London games:
BALTIMORE RAVENS vs. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS vs. MIAMI DOLPHINS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS vs. CLEVELAND BROWNS
ARIZONA CARDINALS vs. LOS ANGELES RAMS
The London schedule will feature consecutive games in Weeks 3 and 4 at Wembley Stadium – the home of English soccer – and Weeks 7 and 8 at Twickenham Stadium, the home of English rugby. The game times and dates will be finalized in conjunction with the revealing of the full 2017 NFL schedule next spring.
Three teams will play their first regular-season games in London in 2017 – the Arizona Cardinals, the visiting team against their NFC West rivals, the Los Angeles Rams at Twickenham in Week 7 or 8; the Baltimore Ravens, the visiting team against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley in Week 3 or 4; and the Cleveland Browns, the home team against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7 or 8 at Twickenham.
The Miami Dolphins will play their fourth regular-season game in London, this time against the New Orleans Saints, who make their second appearance in a regular-season game in the UK. The Jaguars will play a home game in London for the fifth consecutive season.
“We are looking forward to a London season that will feature many firsts, including three new teams,” said ALISTAIR KIRKWOOD, Managing Director of NFL UK. “Our fans have the chance to watch star players such as Baltimore’s Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Joe Flacco, and one of the greatest-ever wide receivers in Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals. Having one of the most famous fan groups in the NFL, Cleveland’s Dawg Pound, sharing Twickenham with our UK fans is going to be a lot of fun, and we are excited to be welcoming home a Londoner, Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi, when his team plays at Wembley.”
JIM FRAYLING, Head of Business Development, Wembley Stadium, commented: “Wembley Stadium has been a home away from home for the NFL for a decade, and we are delighted to host these two huge fixtures in what will be the tenth anniversary year of the new stadium. We look forward to welcoming the four world-class teams to our world-class venue in 2017.”
RFU Chief Executive IAN RITCHIE said: “Hosting the NFL at Twickenham for the first time this year was a huge success and provided us with a great opportunity to showcase the stadium as the adaptable and world-class venue that it is. We are very much looking forward to welcoming the NFL and its new and returning fans back to Twickenham in 2017.”