NFL Agrees 3-Year Deal with RFU to Stage Matches at Twickenham

The popularity of the NFL in the United Kingdom is set to continue growing, after it was confirmed by the Rugby Football Union that Twickenham will be the latest London venue to host matches.

In a report on its official website, the RFU confirm the deal will begin in earnest in 2016 for three years. It’s suggested while there will be a minimum of three matches played at the iconic rugby venue over that time, that could increase to five.

“The NFL has a strong and growing fanbase in the UK, and this, combined with the investments we’ve made in our stadium will give fans more opportunities to experience the action first-hand at a world-class venue,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, RFU's chief commercial and marketing officer, per the website. “We look forward to working with the NFL on this partnership.”

As noted by Steve Wilson of the Associated Press, this latest deal is excellent news for fans of the sport based in England, given the amount of games that’ll be played in the capital:

Tottenham Hotspur and the NFL recently announced an agreement that will see the Premier League club host at least two matches a season for 10 years upon the completion of their new stadium.

The NFL International Series has been a roaring success in the United Kingdom since it began in 2007. Wembley hosted the first-ever regular-season game on English soil, as the New York Giants defeated the Miami Dolphins, 13-10. Since then, the matches have become more and more regular, with three games played at the stadium in 2015 alone.

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With a minimum of five games to be played in London from 2018 onwards, just three short of the amount played at home by an NFL side in the regular season, questions will continue to be asked about the prospect of a league franchise for the city.

Sam Harris of talkSPORT isn’t necessarily sure that’d be the right way to go about things, though:

There will be some UK fans that are critical of the fact all three venues selected by the NFL are in London, too. After all, there are supporters of the sport all over the country, and plenty of high-class stadiums in the north of England could potentially play host to these kinds of occasions. Wales and Scotland also boast fitting facilities.

The Twelfth Man thinks some games spread out around the country would enable the brand to appeal to a wider demographic:

A London franchise does seem to be an inevitability. The sport is clearly popular enough, the facilities are in place and if the city had its own team, then the matches at the stadium would have a much more competitive edge to them, rather than the exhibition feel that still lingers at Wembley games. In addition, for the NFL, the commercial gains would be enormous.

For American fans, the prospect of missing out on more and more games each season may not sit well, but it's all part of the NFL's plans for expansion.