The NFL is set to play nine regular-season games abroad this year, with London hosting three of them at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley. Despite a growing UK fanbase of 18.6 million people, including 4.5 million avid fans, ticket sales for two out of the three London games have been sluggish. For Sunday's game between the Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts, only 60,907 tickets were sold after price reductions, leaving many sections unsold. Critics like Matt Cullen argue that high ticket prices and the discontinuation of season-ticket packages are pricing long-term fans out, while others note a perceived decline in the quality of match-ups compared to games played in new international markets like Australia and Brazil.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
- Published
Once upon a time, tickets for NFL games in London were like gold dust.
asserted
tickets → publish → dust
According to the NFL, its UK fanbase has swelled to 18.6 million, with 4.5 million of those considered 'avid' fans.
uncertain
million → accord → those
Next week's clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham sold out in hours.
But the crowd for Sunday's game at Tottenham between Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts only reached 60,907 after ticket prices were slashed, and large sections remain unsold for the Wembley game on 18 October.
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sections → sell → October
The NFL is playing a record nine regular-season games abroad this season but 19 years after the first London game, has the NFL reached a saturation point in the UK?
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NFL → play → UK
Tickets to see Indianapolis beat Washington 30-13 on Sunday went on sale in July at £79-£245.
But the NFL then dropped prices twice, in late August and again last week.
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NFL → see → August
That meant some fans who paid £185 were sat next to fans who paid £79 a few days ago.
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who → mean → 79
Some tickets were also discounted or free via the Blue Light Card and Tickets For Good platforms.
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tickets → discount → platforms
Matt Cullen has travelled from Cambridge to most of the London games and said there were two main reasons for the slow sales; a price hike and a season-ticket package being scrapped.
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Cullen → travel → sales
"I find the prices now mind-boggling," he added.
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he → find → ?
"It's so far above the rate of inflation that it just feels like a money-grab.
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it → feel → grab
It's priced out a lot of long-term fans."
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It → price → fans
In 2019, tickets ranged from £55 to £125.
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tickets → range → 125
According to Ticket-Compare, UK inflation has since risen by about 32.4% and the cheapest NFL London tickets have risen by 43.9%.
uncertain
tickets → accord → %
The most expensive have seen a 96.5% hike.
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expensive → see → hike
Season-ticket packages had been available, guaranteeing seats for each London game with a discount, but they were scrapped after the 2024 season.
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they → guarantee → season
"It felt like a kick to the head for a lot of loyal fans who'd supported the games for a long time and spent a lot of money," said Cullen, a former season-ticket holder.
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Cullen → feel → money
"But I do understand the NFL wants to bring new fans in.
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NFL → understand → fans
UK fans have also complained about the quality of recent match-ups in London when compared to those in the new countries where the NFL has expanded.
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NFL → complain → countries
Australia hosted a divisional clash between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams last month, while the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys played out a thriller in Brazil last week.
"It was an amazing game and we haven't had many of those unfortunately," added Cullen.
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Cullen → host → those
The best team coming to London this year is Philadelphia, who have reached two of the past four Super Bowls, and their game next week is a sell-out even though it was the most expensive.
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it → come → Bowls
The Jaguars face the Houston Texans in two weeks and Dave, another former season-ticket holder, will travel from Chorley.
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Dave → face → Chorley
"We were all gutted when they took the season tickets away," he admitted.
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he → gutte → tickets
"The way we saw it, we weren't wanted anymore because we didn't spend the money that new fans do on merchandise and we get to the stadium later.
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we → see → stadium
"But it has opened it up for more fans to have the opportunity to attend so it's a double-edged sword."
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it → open → opportunity
'One of the greatest events for neutrals'
BBC Sport spoke to dozens of fans at Sunday's game and none of them were aware ticket prices had dropped.
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prices → speak → them
None seemed to care either.
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None → seem → ?
American fans know the London games don't provide the same tailgating experience they get back home, but they - and the players - are still fascinated by the eclectic crowd at international games.
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they → know → games
Fans still travel from all over the UK, Europe and the US, wearing jerseys of all the NFL teams.
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Fans → travel → teams
"It's still one of the greatest sporting events that neutrals can go to," said Dave.
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Dave → go → that
"I don't think there's any other sport where you'd get tens of thousands watching teams they don't support.
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they → think → teams
People would go for the love of the sport rather than the two teams that were playing and I think that's still the same."
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that → go → teams
It sure felt like a Washington home game when they recovered a Colts fumble on just the game's second play.
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they → feel → play
The crowd produced an even bigger roar when third-choice quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis - replacing the injured Marcus Mariota - made a 47-yard touchdown pass to Treylon Burks in the third quarter.
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Kaliakmanis → produce → quarter
The Commanders thought they had drawn level when Antonio Williams ran in an 87-yard score, but the touchdown was chalked off for a Washington penalty.
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touchdown → think → penalty
Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Jones then got in to seal their success, with Jonathan Taylor having run in two touchdowns for the Colts.
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Taylor → get → Colts
Biles sprinkles stardust on London opener
It is hard to imagine anyone went home disappointed, no matter what price they paid.
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they → sprinkle → price
The stands were bathed in sunshine and fans looked like they were having the time of their life as they sang Sweet Caroline and Wonderwall in unison.
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they → bath → unison
Oasis' Noel Gallagher was booed when he appeared on the big screen - no doubt because of his football allegiance to Manchester City - and former Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney was also among the crowd, wearing a half-and-half scarf.
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Rooney → boo → scarf
Olympian Simone Biles travelled to London to support her husband Jonathan Owens, who is a safety for the Colts, and as long as stars such as those show up at NFL games, international fans will want to be there too.
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fans → travel → games
"There's been a lot of anger from fans on social media about the ticket prices but it's only what they do with last-minute holidays," added Dave.
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Dave → be → holidays
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
