Ticket prices for Sunday’s Colts-Commanders game in London got cut after slow sales, and it is a massive red flag for the NFL’s international schedule. After the electric start we saw with the first two foreign matchups this season, this latest news shows things can go south fast, even with the NFL’s global push.
London’s Lame Duck, While Brazil Stuns
Look, the first international game of 2026, a 49ers blowout over the Rams in Melbourne, might not have been a nail-biter, but it was significant. The second one? Pure instant classic. The Ravens and Cowboys traded blows back and forth, with Baltimore winning at the buzzer, giving Rio de Janeiro a truly terrific first NFL contest. Brazil has been on fire, with all three games there over the past three seasons being tightly contested, one-score affairs. And the ratings for those games? Massive, absolutely massive. So, what happened in London? For Sunday’s game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the NFL had to slash ticket prices because of slow sales. Neither the Colts nor the Commanders are helping the draw, either. Both teams started slowly, and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is even questionable with an elbow injury. It just doesn’t hit the same as those Rio thrillers, does it?
Hope on the Horizon: Mexico City and London’s Next Big Showdowns
Thankfully, there are still seven foreign games remaining, with six in Europe and one in Mexico, and some of them look way more appealing. Leading the pack is the Week 11 Vikings-49ers matchup in Mexico City. Right now, this looks like a huge game at Estadio Banorte. Both teams are sitting pretty at 3-0, and they would have to completely collapse for this game not to be entertaining. Schematically, it is a heavyweight bout: Kyle Shanahan’s offense going head-to-head with Brian Flores’ defense. Flores has actually beaten Shanahan in their only meeting as head coaches, and his Vikings defense twice held Shanahan’s offense to 17 points in Minneapolis. So far, the Vikings have only allowed 41 points total, rank first in sacks, and are top 10 in several other categories. The 49ers, assuming they can get healthier at receiver, look in great shape offensively. Brock Purdy is already emerging as an early MVP candidate, not taking a single sack through three games and averaging 9.5 yards per pass play. These teams might not stay unbeaten until Week 11, but they are both making early playoff pushes that make this game must-watch.
Then there’s the Week 5 Eagles-Jaguars clash in London. Outside of a rough second half in Denver, the Jaguars have done a darn good job showing that their 2025 success was no fluke. Head coach Liam Coen and his offense are humming, and Jacksonville’s defense is making big plays, keeping opponents’ scores low. The Eagles, on the other hand, opened the season with a couple of narrow wins over middling teams, and a blowout loss at the Bears has some folks questioning their credentials. They will also be coming off a tough game against the Rams right before facing the Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Even with those sudden questions about the Eagles, this still looks like a matchup of two potential division winners and two talented dual-threat QBs in Trevor Lawrence and Jalen Hurts. It promises some serious fireworks!
So, while Sunday’s London game might be a tough watch, with seven more international games on the slate, there are still plenty of chances for the NFL to light up the global stage. Keep an eye on those Vikings-49ers and Eagles-Jaguars matchups, because those could be absolute bangers.
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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