Despite the prevalence of “soccer” (football in the UK), cricket, and rugby in mainstream media coverage, niche sports always have room for growth. Paddle tennis, for instance, is growing tremendously, with 100s of new courts set to open across Britain and Northern Ireland.Yet, in terms of fan engagement, America’s most popular sport is making significant headway in the UK. American football still has a long way to go to catch up with soccer, but its recent establishment is impressive. Millions now watch the Super Bowl, and legions of committed fans watch the action all season long.The new season is about to get underway, and we have compiled a quick guide—a cheat sheet, so to speak—to help you learn everything you need to know.Where, When, and HowThe new NFL season gets underway on September 5. After that, it’s 18 weeks of action that take us through January and the Playoffs. Super Bowl LX is at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, in February. Every team plays 17 games (one week is a bye week). Fourteen teams qualify for the Playoffs, which culminate in the Conference Finals and ultimately the Super Bowl.UK BroadcastingSky Sports has made a considerable effort to bring world-class NFL coverage to UK homes over the past decade. It has many games live, including a brilliant dedicated Sunday package covering most of the week’s action. You can access the action online via a DAZN subscription. Channel 5 also has the rights to Monday Night Football, which is often a plum tie from the week’s games. The BBC also has plenty of radio coverage on 5 Live.The Contenders for the 2025 SeasonPick any one from the Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders, or Green Bay Packers. Indeed, examining the NFL odds for Week 1, there could be some early-season upsets on the cards, potentially bringing new teams into contention. Yet, those names are trending in the betting odds as we start the new season.The Big Talking PointsThe Eagles are the defending Super Bowl champions, beating the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX in February. The Chiefs have been the most dominant team in the NFL over the last six to seven years, but there are some ever-so-slight signs that the team might be on the wane. The Baltimore Ravens are slight favourites going into the new season, but only marginally. The Buffalo Bills, led by Most Valuable Player winner Josh Allen, have immense pressure to deliver a championship to the city for the first time.The NFL comes to the UK.Part of the reason for the NFL’s growth in the UK is the now-established three games in London each season. This season will be no different. We will have two games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns (October 5) and Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets (October 12) – and one at Wembley – Los Angeles Rams vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (October 19. For good measure, Ireland and Spain will also be getting their first NFL games this season. The league genuinely has ambitions to become a major sport across Europe.
5 Youngsters Who Could Make a Name for Themselves in the World Cup
Big tournaments always bring something special. Every World Cup, a few young players step into the spotlight and surprise everyone. Some arrive as prospects and
