The Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars will play NFL games in London this year, while the Carolina Panthers will head to Allianz Arena in Munich.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will play host to the Bears and Vikings, while the Jaguars will play their twelfth game in the capital at Wembley Stadium.
Opponents and dates will be announced when the schedule is released in the spring.
The Bears have played in England twice: a 24-18 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley in 2011 and a 24-21 loss to the then Oakland Raiders at Tottenham in 2019.
“Every game the Chicago Bears play is rich in tradition, culture and passion. And every year, game after game, we look forward to welcoming fans to experience that richness,” said George H McCaskey, chairman of the Chicago Bears.
The NFL has announced the home teams for its 2024 games in London and Munich
The London ‘home team’, the Jacksonville Jaguars, will play in Great Britain again
“This year we are taking our legendary franchise and tradition to London and sharing internationally what our fans experience locally with every game. We are excited to join the many NFL teams expanding internationally to play a game in London during our 2024 season.”
The Vikings became the first team to play at Wembley, Twickenham and Tottenham in 2022, winning all three meetings.
The first saw an Adrian Peterson-inspired Minnesota beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-27 at Wembley in 2013; the second was a one-sided 33-16 victory over the Cleveland Browns at Twickenham in 2017 and Minnesota defeated the New Orleans Saints in Tottenham 28-25 when Saints kicker Wil Lutz failed on a tying field goal attempt, hitting the upright and the crossbar from 61 meters.
“We are honored to once again represent the NFL in its ongoing efforts to make the game of football more accessible worldwide,” said Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf.
“We have seen huge international support from the Vikings in our previous three games in London and in our successful bid to take Britain as a global market. Our focus will be on winning for the fourth time in a row in London.”
The Jaguars first played in England in 2013 and have been back every season since, barring the Covid-hit 2020 season.
Last year the Jaguars became the first team to play back-to-back games in London, beating the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley before defeating the Buffalo Bills in Tottenham. This year’s match will be the tenth time the Jaguars have hosted a match at Wembley and their record in England is 6-5.
“We have now played 11 matches in London, built deep relationships with fans and businesses, introduced American football to young people taking part in our community programs across the UK, and raised money and supported causes that touch many lives. ” said Shad Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Minnesota Vikings fans are back in the stands at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
The Chicago Bears are also back in London for the third time, the first in 2011
“All in all, we have built a strong Jaguars tradition in London that our fans and followers celebrate every day of the year. That tradition will continue next season when the Jaguars return to London, and we can’t wait to see everyone again at Wembley Stadium, our home away from home.”
The Panthers become the fourth team to host a game in Germany, following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots.
The NFL made its bow in Bavaria in 2022, when Tom Brady’s Buccaneers were serenaded by adoring fans singing Country Roads about 15 minutes after the game ended.
The demand for tickets in Germany is phenomenal. Tickets for both games this season in Frankfurt sold out within 15 minutes, with 1.4 million punters queuing online to watch the Chiefs’ match against the Miami Dolphins.
Last month, the NFL announced it will play a regular season game at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo – the first ever in South America. The designated team will be announced in the coming months.
There will be no game in Mexico in 2024 due to the renovation of the Estadio Azteca, but the NFL has confirmed that future international games will return to Mexico City.
“Bringing our game to more fans around the world is a key priority for the league and its 32 teams, and we are excited to return to London and Munich in 2024,” said Peter O’Reilly, executive vice president of the N.F.L.
“We look forward to welcoming these three teams to London for what promises to be another exciting series of international games in Great Britain in 2024,” said Henry Hodgson, chief executive of NFL UK.
After hosting the Buccaneers in 2022, Munich’s Allianz Arena will see more NFL action
“Regular season games have been played in London since 2007 and we are pleased to see the commitment to bringing the very best of the NFL to fans in Britain continues.
“Along with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings, we are excited to continue giving fans exceptional game day memories as the NFL comes to the nation’s capital next season.”
All four designated teams playing abroad are part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, which awards international marketing rights to NFL teams in countries outside the U.S. to build fandom and realize brand and commercial opportunities.
The Bears, Vikings and Jaguars have international marketing rights in Britain, while the Panthers have those rights in Germany.