Is There A Possibility Of Super Bowl Being Hosted In London?
The NFL is now considering the prospect of relocating a future Super Bowl to London after 16 years of staging games in England.
Sunday will be the third consecutive week that an NFL game will be played in London. Fans started to speculate whether the NFL may think about holding a Super Bowl in the British capital as a result of the games frequently being played over the pond.
Is There A Possibility Of Super Bowl Being Hosted In London?
When questioned about the likelihood of the English city hosting a Super Bowl during a fan event hosted in London last week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that the NFL has been considering the notion.
𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: The #NFL has discussed the idea of potentially hosting a Super Bowl in London at some point in the future, per @AdamSchefter
The game would have to start 3 hours sooner than it normally does.
How would you guys feel about that? pic.twitter.com/N8qnfsMaq2
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 15, 2023
“It is not impossible, and it is something that has been discussed before,” Goodell said, via ESPN.com. “I think that is not out of the question.”
The league’s preference for staging Super Bowls in cities with NFL clubs, though, is the main obstacle preventing this prospect from happening. There isn’t an official NFL team in London.
Californians waking up at 9 am to watch Super Bowl 61 in London. #SuperBowl #NFLLondonGames #NFL #NFLLondon pic.twitter.com/1N0msczC0o
— Jacoby Crisp (@Jacoby_Crisp) October 15, 2023
“I think that is not out of the question,” Goodell added. “But at the end of the day, I think right now our formula will stay the same about playing [Super Bowls] in cities that have franchises.”
The notion of London hosting a Super Bowl is not a near-term reality, he added, as Super Bowls are often given to cities with active NFL clubs.
As the NFL prepares for its third straight Sunday in London, the league already has discussed the idea of one day playing a Super Bowl in the British capital, according to commissioner Roger Goodell.https://t.co/KHwYc3Bt6m
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 15, 2023
In a best-case scenario, London could host a Super Bowl as early as the 2026 campaign.
“I think being able to play it in one of our cities — it’s at a huge economic boost to those cities,” added Goodell. “Our fans live in those cities also. I think that is important. Not that we do not have great fans here [in London]; we do. So, as the international series develops, maybe that is a possibility as we play more games here.”
#Superbowl in London England? #DeepThoughts
Roger says "it's not impossible!" pic.twitter.com/BOI7D8ilYd
— "Razor" Ray Monohan (@Cappers_Picks) October 15, 2023
The NFL planned three games in London for the 2023 season, with the last one taking place in Week 6. This season, the league has two matches planned for Germany. The NFL is also considering the prospect of playing as early as next year in either Brazil or Spain.
American NFL supporters, who are protective of the Super Bowl as an American athletic heritage, have reacted negatively to the concept.
These regular season games in London are one thing, but having the Super Bowl over there would be a slap in the face to the fans and cities in the league. Stop trying to force a square peg into a round hole https://t.co/ubMEbrdxgQ
— Andrew Marsh (@_MarshyMarsh_) October 15, 2023
Goodell’s remarks have resurrected this topic and reignited discussions over whether the Super Bowl should ever take place outside of the United States.
It’s not the first time that London has discussed hosting the Super Bowl.
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