NFL announces designated teams for 2023 International Games
Thu 19 January 2023, 12:15
The National Football League (NFL) today announced there will be three 2023 International Games in the UK next season.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the only purpose-built NFL stadium outside of the US, will once again host two international games, with the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans heading to N17 as designated teams.
This will be the second trip to London for both Buffalo and Tennessee, with the Bills having previously played at Wembley Stadium in 2015 and the Titans there in 2018.
Our first-of-its-kind partnership with the NFL has already delivered a series of unforgettable games in front of sold-out crowds in Tottenham, with 12 of the league’s 32 teams having experienced the stadium.
Memorable events have included live half-time shows from some of the biggest stars in music, pyrotechnics, military fly-overs and even the US national anthem performed on top of the stadium’s roof.
Many of the activations enjoyed by fans in and around the stadium on gamedays are delivered by local people as the NFL has embraced the community of Tottenham. It is an example of the wider community benefits delivered through the stadium development, that has created more than 4,000 jobs for local people to date.
Through staging major events such as NFL, boxing, rugby and concerts, as well as Premier League football and additional Visitor Attractions, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has become a new sports and entertainment destination for London, bringing a boost of circa £300m to the local economy every year.
Todd Kline, Chief Commercial Officer, Tottenham Hotspur, said: “We are excited to welcome the Bills and Titans, along with their passionate fanbases, to N17 later this year. NFL Gamedays at our stadium always bring vibrancy and excitement to our neighbourhood and 2023 will be no different.
“Growing the league and our sport internationally is a major strategic priority for the NFL, and we are excited to again be playing five games outside of the United States in 2023,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business, Major Events & International. “We know how important live regular season games are to our passionate global fans and we thank our clubs for their strong, long-term commitment to this important initiative. Interest in our game globally is at an all-time high, and we look forward to returning to the UK and Germany in 2023 with some of the most iconic clubs and stars in the NFL.”
Henry Hodgson, GM NFL UK, added: "The Bills and Titans are two iconic teams with superstar players, who will get the chance to play at the world-class Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, for the first time in their histories."
“We are proud to be selected to participate in our league’s international games in 2023 and continue to help grow our sport globally,” said Buffalo Bills EVP/Chief Operating Officer Ron Raccuia. “The NFL has done an incredible job with this initiative. We’re excited for Bills Mafia to experience Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, one of the primary design inspirations for our new stadium scheduled to open in 2026.”
“It’s an honor to be one of the teams representing the NFL abroad in 2023 and play a role in continuing the incredible growth our sport has seen in the UK,” said Titans President and CEO Burke Nihill. “The atmosphere in London leading up to and at our game in 2018 was absolutely electric. Since then, we’ve remained in touch with our UK-based Titans fans and they’ve grown into one of our most enthusiastic fan bases. We can’t wait to see them again this upcoming season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and know many of our fans here in Tennessee will be excited to make the trip as well.”