The 9 greatest NFL London games of all time, ranked
From wild goal-line stands to overtime heartbreakers, these are the international clashes that truly delivered.
There was a time when the NFL rolling into London felt like an exotic novelty act. We turned up in whatever jersey we owned, drank lukewarm pints on Wembley Way, and begrudgingly accepted that the football on display might be a bit of a blowout.
Over forty regular-season games later, things look very different. The UK series has evolved from a promotional roadshow into genuine, high-stakes football. With the Philadelphia Eagles heading across the pond to face the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend, London is getting another clash between serious playoff contenders.
As an NFL obsessive who has spent the last decade-plus trekking across the capital on autumn Sunday afternoons (or at home watching them live on Sky Sports), I have sat through the bad, the bizarre, and the genuinely brilliant.
Whittling down dozens of contests to just nine is tough, but these are the London games that had fans on their feet until the final whistle.
9. Minnesota Vikings 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 27 (2013, Wembley)
I was in the stands for this one, and you could feel the electricity before kickoff. Adrian Peterson was in peak, terrifying form, ripping through Pittsburgh for 140 yards, including an absurd 60-yard scamper that left defenders grasping at thin air. Big Ben Roethlisberger dragged the Steelers back into contention, driving all the way to Minnesota's six-yard line with under twenty seconds left. Just as Wembley braced for overtime, Everson Griffen broke through for a monster strip-sack to seal the win for the Vikings.
8. Oakland Raiders 24, Chicago Bears 21 (2019, Tottenham)
The debut of NFL football at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could not have had a better storyline: the Khalil Mack revenge game. Chicago fell behind 17-0, woke up in the third quarter with 21 unanswered points, and looked to have the contest wrapped up. Instead, Oakland mounted a gritty, 97-yard march in the fourth quarter, capped by Josh Jacobs diving over the goal line with two minutes left. It was physical, chaotic, and an ideal housewarming gift for Tottenham's purpose-built NFL pitch.
7. Los Angeles Chargers 20, Tennessee Titans 19 (2018, Wembley)
A textbook example of how one coaching decision can make a game legendary. Philip Rivers opened proceedings by hitting Tyrell Williams for a 75-yard touchdown bomb, but Tennessee ground their way back into it. Down 20-13 with 31 seconds on the clock, the Titans scored. Mike Vrabel decided against playing it safe for overtime and dialled up a gutsy two-point conversion to win it in regulation. The pass was tipped away, handing the Chargers a dramatic escape.
6. Minnesota Vikings 28, New Orleans Saints 25 (2022, Tottenham)
I was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to witness five lead changes / ties in the fourth quarter alone. Justin Jefferson put on a clinic with 147 receiving yards, but Andy Dalton kept New Orleans punching until the very end. After Greg Joseph nailed a 47-yard kick to give Minnesota the lead with 24 seconds left, Saints kicker Wil Lutz lined up for a monster 61-yard equaliser as time expired. The kick looked pure, bounced off the left upright, hit the crossbar, and dropped out. Heartbreak for New Orleans, but pure theatre in N17.
5. New Orleans Saints 37, San Diego Chargers 32 (2008, Wembley)
Only the second regular-season game played in the UK, and the one that silenced critics who thought London would only get defensive slogs. Drew Brees faced his former team for the first time, throwing for 339 yards and three touchdowns in a 69-point shootout. Philip Rivers threw everything he had at a fourth-quarter comeback, but the Saints picked him off late to preserve the win. It set the blueprint for what an overseas spectacle could be.
4. New York Giants 27, Green Bay Packers 22 (2022, Tottenham)
I will be honest: as a Packers fan who had waited years to see Green Bay play a regular-season game in London, this one hurt. Sitting in Tottenham with my jersey on, watching Aaron Rodgers steer us to a 17-3 lead, everything felt right with the world. Then Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley took over. The Giants played flawless, disciplined football in the second half, storming back with 24 unanswered points. Watching two straight Rodgers passes batted down in the end zone in the dying seconds was brutal, but for neutral fans, it was an absolute masterclass in grit.
3. Washington 27, Cincinnati Bengals 27 (2016, Wembley)
The only tie in NFL International Series history, and easily one of the most entertaining afternoons of football I have ever watched in person. Kirk Cousins threw for an eye-watering 458 yards, Andy Dalton traded punches blow-for-blow, and 84,000 of us got treated to a full 75 minutes of breathless drama. The overtime period was pure chaos: Dustin Hopkins pulled a 34-yard chip shot wide left, Cincinnati coughed up a fumble, and both teams walked off completely spent without a winner.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars 34, Buffalo Bills 31 (2015, Wembley)
If you like neat, tidy football, look away. If you love wild momentum swings, this was the pinnacle. Jacksonville looked completely home and dry with a 27-3 lead, before EJ Manuel and the Bills went berserk, rattling off 28 unanswered points to lead late in the fourth quarter. With three minutes to play and the stadium buzzing, Blake Bortles dropped back and fired a 31-yard rainbow to Allen Hurns, who laid out for a diving catch in the end zone. It remains the wildest rollercoaster London has ever hosted, and I was fortunate enough to be in the stadium to witness it.
1. Detroit Lions 22, Atlanta Falcons 21 (2014, Wembley)
The undisputed heavyweight champion of London games. Atlanta took total control early, strolling into halftime with a commanding 21-0 lead. Matthew Stafford then went into full fourth-quarter comeback mode, chipping away at the deficit drive by drive.
The finish was pure Hollywood. Trailing 21-19 with four seconds left, Matt Prater lined up for a 43-yard field goal and sliced it wide right. Falcons players began celebrating, but a Detroit delay-of-game penalty wiped the play out. Given a five-yard penalty and an untimed down, Prater stepped back to the 48-yard mark and drilled it straight through the uprights as the clock read zeroes. You could not script a better ending.
The Philadelphia Eagles face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday 11 October 2026. You can watch the game live from 2pm on Sky Sports NFL, Sky Sports+, NFL Games Pass on DAZN, and Channel 5.
The third and final London game of the year takes place on Sunday 18 October 2026 when the Houston Texans take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. It will be available to watch live on Sky Sports NFL, NFL Games Pass on DAZN, and Channel 5.
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