Soaring Demand for International NFL Games

• This year’s ticket demand for the NFLs’ international football games up 55%
• Five international NFL games to take place in London and Mexico
• The most in-demand game for the new season is the opening match

“When the NFL first started the international series there were a lot of questions around whether there would be demand for American football in Europe, in Asia, in Mexico and elsewhere,” said the general manager of the National Football League, Akshay Khanna.

The 2019 International Games

This years’ demand for the NFL international games has spiked 55% in comparison to 2018, according to Reuters. It seems like the American football league’s endeavor to expand their fan base has paid off handsomely.

2019s’ season will feature five games outside of US territory. Four games will take place in London and one will play-out in Mexico City. So far, in regards to the United Kingdom, the NFL has held games at Wembley Stadium for more than 10 years, having started in 2007. This year, though, two of the games will take place at the newly open Tottenham Hotspur, the League having struck a deal with local management for holding two games a year for 10 years ahead.

This season’s offerings will include three division games, five playoff participants and one Super Bowl champion. Out of the four games set in London, two will be featuring teams playing on English terrain for the first time. Despite earlier concern the Mexico City game is to take place and will see a face off one of the long-time AFC West division rivals.

The teams playing internationally at the respective locations are as follows:

• Chicago Bears will be playing the Oakland Raiders at the new $1.3 billion worth of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on October 6
• The Carolina Panthers will face off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on their Week 6 game also at the Tottenham Stadium. The game is scheduled for October 13, 9 a.m. ET.
• The Cincinnati Bengals play the Los Angeles Rams at London’s all-time favorite Wembley Stadium on October 27
• Houston Texans will face the Jacksonville Jaguars also on Wembley Stadium, London on November 3
• Finally, The Kansas City Chiefs will be playing the Mexico game with the Los Angeles Chargers on November 18 at the Estadio Azteca Stadium, Mexico City

Raising the Stakes

Overall, general manager Akshay Khanna confirmed and praised the success of the NFL’s expanding fan base, elaborating further on the fact that even the local US market is seeing a 19% rise in ticket sales to foreign buyers who want to catch a glimpse of the league while in the United States. Most prominent buyers, it seems, hail from Canada, Mexico, Australia, the UK and Germany.

As for now, just a week ahead of the start of the season, the Dallas Cowboys game is seeing the most demand for a fifth year in a row. New England Patriots demands are rising, but foremost demand goes for the Bears face off with the Green Bay, which is the first kick-off to start the season on September 5.