NFL at new Manchester United stadium? NFL UK normal supervisor Henry Hodgson discusses video games exterior of London, Paris plans and landmark 12 months

NFL UK normal supervisor Henry Hodgson says the league is open to exploring alternatives to play in different stadiums throughout the nation because it continues its world enlargement with a historic worldwide slate of video games. 

The league will host three extra regular-season video games throughout Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium within the 2025 season to take the tally of London match-ups to 42 since 2007.

Such has been the game’s ascent on this aspect of the pond, there may be an rising urge for food to boost the sport’s presence past the capital, together with the prospect of video games.

Soccer resides in historic occasions because it gears up for seven worldwide video games in 2025. May Manchester United’s proposed £2bn, 100,000 capability stadium emerge as an possibility down the road?

“For now we have a partnership with Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, that’s the home of the NFL in the UK, it’s a fantastic stadium,” Hodgson advised Sky Sports activities. “I might make the argument that it is one of many prime 5 stadiums within the NFL, no matter the place it is really based mostly.

“Would we have a look at different choices? I believe we might definitely be open to these conversations. I am very eager to guarantee that we’re taking the game throughout the nation.

“This 12 months we’ve got a kick-off occasion that is happening in Manchester. We have got a tour going to Birmingham and to Bristol and to Cardiff. So we wish to guarantee that the NFL is not seen as a London sport the place we go and play video games.

“We know that there are fans across the UK and we want to serve those fans across the UK. Somewhere down the road, if there are conversations to be had about that stadium or frankly any other new stadiums in the UK, we’re certainly open to having those discussions. Again, for the same reason, to see how we can bring more NFL to more new people.”

Tottenham has emerged because the official dwelling of the NFL within the UK having grow to be the primary purpose-built NFL stadium exterior of america.

Hodgson attributes its success to a long-term ‘imaginative and prescient’ of Tottenham Hotspur in accommodating the league, although accepts it may be a “case-by-case” foundation concerning different potential host stadiums.

“You look at the partnership we have in Tottenham, I think one of the reasons that I believe that stadium is so good is that that partnership happened long before the stadium itself started being built,” Hodgson added.

“So it came with that as a real central part of their project. That was the vision of Daniel Levy and of Tottenham, as well as the NFL. So you’d think that that would lead people to, you know, if you were going to do it, that would be the way to go. But I’m sure different people would approach it in different ways.”

Subsequent up… Paris?

The NFL, in the meantime, stays dedicated to increasing its world attain, and earlier this 12 months introduced its first sport in Australia on the iconic MCG.

Germany is at the moment gearing up for its fifth regular-season sport when Berlin follows within the footsteps of Frankfurt and Munich as a bunch metropolis this 12 months, whereas Madrid and Dublin enter as new territories.

A visit to France is also on the horizon subsequent.

“Paris is certainly one of the cities we’ve looked at,” stated Hodgson. “Everyone knows that the NFL continues to look around the world at cities that we could play games in and do that in a really considered way.

“We wish to guarantee that after we go and play a sport, wherever it may be on this planet, it isn’t merely for the sake of enjoying a sport, however for rising a fanbase for the long run.

“And France certainly has a big fanbase of NFL fans existing, so Paris would lend itself as a city for us to play a game in.

“We proceed to look at the chance to try this. And I might anticipate that it’s going to occur. I believe it is only a query of when. However there are a variety of different cities all over the world that we’re as properly.”

Historic occasions within the NFL

Dublin’s iconic Croke Park will welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings on Sunday September 28, earlier than the latter stick round to face the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham the subsequent week.

The Denver Broncos then tackle the New York Jets at Tottenham adopted by the Los Angeles Rams towards the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley, earlier than the Indianapolis Colts host the Atlanta Falcons on the Olympiastadion and the Washington Commanders meet the Miami Dolphins on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.

“It’s an incredibly exciting year because we’re playing in three new cities around the world in Madrid and in Dublin and Berlin,” stated Hodgson.

“I think for each of those there’s going to be a very different atmosphere, a new set of fans who are going to get the opportunity to experience an NFL game for the very first time and a new city that’s going to kind of have its own take on how to embrace the NFL.

“After which on prime of that, clearly we have video games in London the place the primary sport would be the fortieth so you have bought this established metropolis.

“But I think both Dublin and Madrid are going to be really exciting, really fun, different events. Dublin, in particular, a city that really lends itself to these kind of big events and I think you’re going to see the whole of Dublin overtaken by NFL fans over the weekend.”

The Philadelphia Eagles return as defending Tremendous Bowl champions after dethroning the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in a 40-22 victory in New Orleans in February, denying Andy Reid’s aspect a 3rd straight championship.

Josh Allen’s Buffalo Payments and Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens resume their pursuit of a Tremendous Bowl berth within the face of Kansas Metropolis’s monopoly on the AFC, whereas Jayden Daniels leads a brand new period for the Washington Commanders. The Detroit Lions loom as one of many league’s most prolific offenses because the Minnesota Vikings search to maximise a Championship-calibre roster, whereas Micah Parsons prepares to change the NFC completely after his blockbuster commerce to the Inexperienced Bay Packers.

“I think the NFL’s in a fantastic period of really creating some very established, very fun rivalries,” stated Hodgson. “You look at the AFC and you’ve had that sort of Chiefs, Bills, Ravens triumvirate over the last few years and who’s going to get there, are the Bills and Ravens finally going to get over the hump?

“I believe equally with the Chiefs, much more within the highlight given a few of the current cultural information across the NFL as properly.

“You’ve got a lot of teams that there are question marks around but could really come up and be very exciting. Washington Commanders last year, for a few people, sort of came out of nowhere, that was exciting.

“You’ve got bought the Lions who everybody gave the impression to be rooting for in the event that they weren’t an Eagles fan going into the postseason. You’ve got bought the 49ers who had a little bit of a down 12 months however perhaps can bounce again after which throughout all of it the NFL throws up these surprises.”

The 2025 season kicks off on Thursday night when the champion Eagles face the Dallas Cowboys, live on Sky Sports NFL from 1.20am in the early hours of Friday.

Watch the 2025 NFL season live on Sky Sports, including every London and European game as well as every minute of the playoffs and Super Bowl LX; Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.