After a gap of two years, the Minnesota Vikings will be returning to London for the 2024 NFL season, as part of the league’s attempt to increase the craze for the sport away from the USA.
The Vikings will mark its fourth appearance in the English capital this year—giving up their first home game since for the first time since 2013. Their last appearance in London, as the team on the road, was in a 28-25 win over the Saints back in 2022 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which will once again host them this year.
They will join the Chicago Bears and the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, while the Carolina Panthers will visit Munich, Germany as the NFL plans to have the four franchises tour Europe as part of their exposure strategy to the European fans.
The announcement was made by the NFL on Thursday morning.
The Vikings are one of four teams the NFL has designated to give up a home game in 2024 and host an international game instead. They’ll be in London. So will Bears and Jaguars. Panthers in Munich. Opponent and date TBA. Story soon on https://t.co/CRZxetpskH.
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) January 11, 2024
Being the first NFL team to win all of their previous three outings in London- Wembley Stadium, Twickenham Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Vikings are undoubtedly one of the most suitable candidates to return to the English capital, apart from being one of the six teams to have home marketing rights in the UK.
“We are honored to once again represent the NFL in the continued effort to make the game of football more accessible globally,” said Vikings owner and president Mark Wilf via an official press release. “We’ve seen tremendous international support of the Vikings with our previous three London games and with our successful bid to land the United Kingdom as a global market. Our focus will be on winning for the fourth consecutive time in London, along with replicating the incredible gameday environment we enjoy in Minnesota and creating a memorable experience for our partners and fans.”
