Wembley will host NFL games on back-to-back Sundays as well as being the venue for an inter-divisional match next year after 2015’s three regular-season fixtures were announced.
The Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions are all returning for a second straight campaign while the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs will each play in London for the first time.
Miami, who broke new ground in 2007 when hosting the New York Giants in the maiden International Series fixture, are sacrificing a home divisional showdown with their long-time rivals the Jets on 4 October in what will be the Dolphins’ third trip to the capital following September’s 38-14 win over the Oakland Raiders.
The Jaguars have agreed to a slate of games at Wembley from 2013 to 2016 and on 25 October next year their opponents will be the Bills, who staged annual matches in Canada between 2008 and 2013.
Seven days later Kansas City make their first trip to Britain as the home team against a Detroit Lions side which came from behind to beat the Atlanta Falcons 22-21 in a thrilling Wembley encounter last month.
“We are very appreciative of the outstanding support from our fans in the UK, not only for the games at Wembley, but for all of the related NFL events we have hosted throughout the city,” said the NFL’s Mark Waller.
“We believe we have a great 2015 schedule that will continue to attract new fans to our sport and strengthen the bonds with our existing fans.
“To provide UK fans the opportunity to see games on consecutive weekends, to see new teams, and to attend a division game, which feature some of the most passionate rivalries in our sport, are signs of the growth and depth of our UK fan base.”
All three contests held at Wembley this year sold out several months in advance and that run of fixtures will end on Sunday with Jacksonville versus the Dallas Cowboys.
Gridiron’s increasing popularity in the UK has led to suggestions that there could be as many as five games in 2015, a possibility which was quickly quashed, while talk of a future British-based franchise continues to linger.
The NFL has typically struggled to find teams willing to forfeit home fixtures in order to be a Wembley host but Miami’s decision to take a potentially pivotal clash with the Jets across the pond represents another significant step forward.
