The NFL just wrapped its latest London series game on October 4, 2026, with the Indianapolis Colts beating the Washington Commanders 30-13, but the biggest story isn’t the final score. Only 60,907 fans showed up at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the clash, a far cry from the near-capacity crowds that used to be a given for every NFL London matchup. This is wild considering the NFL boasts a UK fanbase of 18.6 million, with 4.5 million of them being ‘avid’ fans. For a league that’s played 43 near-capacity games across Wembley, Twickenham, and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, thousands of unsold tickets for two of the three games this season, including this one, tells you something’s off.
Sky-High Prices and Scrapped Season Tickets That Punished Loyalty
So, what’s the deal with all those empty seats? Fans are pointing fingers at two major issues: a serious price hike and the ditching of season-ticket packages. Tickets for the Colts-Commanders game originally hit the market in July at £79 to £245. But get this, the NFL actually dropped prices twice, first in late August and then again last week. That meant some fans who paid £185 were sitting right next to folks who snagged tickets for £79 just days later. Plus, some tickets even went out discounted or free through platforms like Blue Light Card and Tickets For Good. Matt Cullen, a longtime London game attendee from Cambridge, didn’t hold back. He called the current prices “mind-boggling” and said it felt like “a money-grab” that’s “priced out a lot of long-term fans.” Back in 2019, tickets ranged from £55 to £125. Since then, UK inflation has gone up about 32.4%, but the cheapest NFL London tickets have spiked 43.9%, and the most expensive ones? A shocking 96.5% hike. On top of that, the NFL scrapped the season-ticket packages that guaranteed seats and discounts after the 2024 season. Cullen summed it up, saying it “felt like a kick to the head for a lot of loyal fans.”
Are UK Fans Getting Snubbed While Other Countries Get the Thrillers?
It’s not just the prices; fans in the UK are also grumbling about the quality of the matchups they’re getting compared to other international venues. Last month, Australia saw a divisional battle between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. Then, just last week, Brazil hosted a “thriller” between the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys. Cullen noted that Brazil game was “amazing” and lamented, “we haven’t had many of those unfortunately” in London. The Commanders and Colts, for instance, both missed the playoffs last season. The best team heading to London this year is Philadelphia, who have reached two of the past four Super Bowls, and guess what? Their game next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars sold out in hours, despite being the most expensive. Dave, another former season-ticket holder, who will travel from Chorley for the Jaguars versus Houston Texans game in two weeks, admitted, “We were all gutted when they took the season tickets away.” He added, “The way we saw it, we weren’t wanted anymore because we didn’t spend the money that…”
Next up, the Philadelphia Eagles face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham, a game that did sell out in hours, probably thanks to the Eagles being a strong team who have been to two of the last four Super Bowls. But after that, the Jaguars play the Houston Texans at Wembley on October 18, and large sections of those seats are still waiting for buyers. The NFL is playing a record nine regular-season games abroad this season, but if they keep pricing out loyal fans and delivering what some perceive as less exciting matchups, they might just push away the 18.6 million UK fans they worked so hard to build.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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