LONDON â€" The St. Louis Rams will play a regular-season NFL game in London in each of the next three seasons, first facing the New England Patriots in 2012.
The Rams and Patriots will play on Oct. 28 at Wembley Stadium, the NFL said Friday. It’s the sixth straight year the league will play regular-season games in the British capital.
“We are confident that having the Rams host one game in the UK in each of the next three seasons will allow us to better serve the growing popularity of our sport beyond the borders of the United States,†NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.
The NFL has been trying to bring two games a season to Britain, but the league said the Rams-Patriots contest would be the only one in 2012.
The NFL first played at Wembley in 2007, with the New York Giants beating the Miami Dolphins 13-10. Since then, seven other teams have visited Britain, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers making the trip twice.
The Patriots have already been to London, beating the Bucs 35-7 in 2009. The Bucs returned this season, losing to the Chicago Bears 24-18 in October â€" the first of the Wembley games that wasn’t a sellout.
The Rams are owned by Stan Kroenke, who is also the majority shareholder in English club Arsenal.
“We’ve seen first-hand the increased popularity of the NFL not only in London but throughout Europe,†Kroenke said. “To play a role in that growth over the next three years will be incredible and is a testament to the many good things happening not only in the NFL but also in the St. Louis Rams organization.â€
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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