Jaguars Could Play Three 2027 Games In London

Fans are already accustomed to seeing the Jacksonville Jaguars play across the pond each year, but may get more frequent early mornings with Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen in the near future.

According to David Bauerlein of the Florida Times-Union’s Jacksonville branch, the terms of recent stadium legislation concerning renovations to TIAA Bank Field give the Jags flexibility to play up to three games in London during the NFL’s 2027 campaign. If Jacksonville City Council approves the legislation, the Jaguars would also be able to host three total home games — with the flexibility for more — outside their namesake city across the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

Anticipated construction on TIAA Bank Field in 2027 would render it unplayable that year. The Jaguars initially believed they wouldn’t be able to host games at the site for both 2026 and 2027. But throughout the negotiating process on their $1.4 billion renovation deal with Jacksonville, they agreed they could play some contests with reduced seating.

Under the proposal, the city of Jacksonville would pay $775 million toward the stadium upgrades, with Jaguars owner Shad Khan handling the other $625 million and “any cost overruns.” In return, the franchise would be subject to a new 30-year lease and non-relocation agreement that would see them pay “100% of taxpayer spending on the stadium” if they departed Jacksonville in the first 14 years of the lease.

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The NFL Is Weaning Us Onto International Expansion

It has become a matter of when, not if

Roger Goodell has already conquered the U.S. with the NFL’s presence. Now, in a personal game of Risk, he’s looking to capture the eyes of the billions of other people spanning the globe. The league’s international series is only gaining steam: it crossed into Germany in 2022, takes on Brazil this year and swells into Madrid in 2025, when there will be a whopping eight games played outside the U.S.

In terms of “American Football” franchises remaining exclusively inside American borders, the train has run off the tracks. The Jaguars have long been the NFL’s puppet for having fans get accustomed to seeing a franchise appear internationally. Over the course of the last decade, we’ve gone from seeing the Jags play one game every year — growing familiar with a “London” franchise — to watching them battle twice there last season, and twice more in 2024.

When it comes to overseas football, we’ve adjusted and adapted to every change the league has made. Barring a significant drop-off in the level of play — beyond sluggish affairs on Thursday nights — we will continue doing so. While a permanent team in London or Germany still feels far off, one outside the U.S. could arrive much sooner than we expect.

The Kansas City Chiefs are currently being sought after by two different cities, but three different states. Who’s to say Mexico City or Toronto won’t throw their hat in the ring and try to make Patrick Mahomes the quarterback of their country’s first franchise? The NBA, MLB and NHL all have teams in Canada; there’s no reason the NFL can’t join them.

Source: David Bauerlein

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.

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