NFL Sends Jaguars, Commanders to London as League Expands to Three Games in 2026

The NFL locked in its London host teams for the 2026 season, and Jacksonville is once again packing for an extended stay.

Jacksonville and Washington will serve as the home teams for the league’s three games in London next season. Jacksonville will host two of those games, with one at Wembley Stadium and one at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Washington will host the third London game at Tottenham. The league announced the setup Wednesday morning, with dates and opponents to be released later.

Jacksonville’s role is familiar by now, but the 2026 arrangement is still significant. The Jaguars have played in London every year since 2013 except for 2020, and this will be the first time they are officially the home team for two London games in the same season. The expectation is that Jacksonville will play back to back weeks in London in October, giving the franchise another overseas stretch that has become a regular part of its schedule.

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The three London games are part of a much bigger international push. The NFL’s 2026 slate will include a record nine international games across seven countries. In addition to London, the league has already identified games in Germany, Spain, France, Mexico, Brazil, and Australia. Detroit is set to host a game in Munich, while other designated host teams include New Orleans in Paris, San Francisco in Mexico City, Dallas in Rio de Janeiro, and the Rams in Melbourne against the 49ers.

For London, Jacksonville remains the league’s most established team in the market. This will be the 15th time the Jaguars have played in London, and most of those games have been at Wembley. The Jaguars are 7 and 7 in London games overall, including a 2 and 1 record at Tottenham. The league’s long running strategy of building a stronger fan base in the United Kingdom has leaned heavily on Jacksonville’s recurring presence, and 2026 will continue that model with two home dates.

Washington’s inclusion adds a different angle. The Commanders will be playing their third international game. Their previous two came in different countries and ended in different ways: a tie against the Bengals at Wembley in 2016 and a loss to Miami in Madrid in 2025. Now they return to London as a designated home team at Tottenham.

NFL UK and Ireland general manager Henry Hodgson described the role these games play in the league’s overseas strategy.

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“The NFL London games bring fans together from across the UK and beyond and play a key role in engaging our existing fans as well as creating new audiences and driving NFL fandom in this market,” Hodgson said.

Jacksonville coach Liam Coen also addressed the London plan and the team’s relationship with the city.

“Last season was my first experience in London as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars and my immediate takeaway was London is undoubtedly our home away from home,” head coach Liam Coen said. “We have a passionate and knowledgeable fan base in London, built over time and still growing, and we’re making a positive impact with fans throughout the United Kingdom as well.
That’s something our organization, starting with our ownership, has worked very hard to achieve and takes great pride in further developing each season. With two games in London in 2026 it’s going to be great fun for our fans in London as well as for everyone in Jacksonville who will be making the trip. I’m definitely looking forward to it and I know are players are happy to return as well.”

The Jaguars’ London footprint also connects directly to the franchise’s stadium situation in Florida. Jacksonville’s new stadium agreement and 30 year lease with the city included a clause allowing the team to play up to six home games internationally from 2025 through 2027, with a maximum of three in 2027. That clause matters because EverBank Stadium is in the middle of a $1.4 billion renovation. The project began in early 2025 and will reduce stadium capacity to roughly 40,000 to 45,000 in 2026.

The same agreement anticipates an even larger disruption in 2027, when the Jaguars will play all home games away from EverBank Stadium while construction continues. The franchise is expected to play those games in Orlando, though the final plan still needs league approval. A decision could come at the NFL annual meeting in March in Phoenix.

So yes, the league is selling the global strategy, but Jacksonville also has practical reasons to keep using London as part of its regular season map. In 2026, that means two home games overseas, one more London slot for Washington, and another year where the NFL’s international calendar keeps getting bigger.

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