Built for Two Sports
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is unique among major sports venues because it was designed from the outset to host both Premier League football and NFL American football at the highest level. This was not an afterthought or a retrofit. The NFL partnership was part of the stadium's design brief from day one, and the building includes features that no other football ground in the world can match.
The deal between the NFL and Tottenham Hotspur was agreed before the stadium was built, with the league committing to a minimum of two games per season at the venue for at least 10 years.
The Retractable Pitch
The most remarkable engineering feature is the retractable grass pitch. The natural turf playing surface is divided into three sections, each sitting on a steel tray that can be slid off the pitch area and stored beneath the South Stand. The entire process takes around 25 minutes.
Underneath the grass, there is a permanent artificial surface designed specifically for NFL games. This synthetic pitch meets all NFL playing standards and does not need to be laid or removed for each event. It is always there, ready to be revealed once the grass is moved aside.
This system means the stadium can switch between sports without either surface being compromised. The grass is not damaged by having American football played on top of it, and the NFL surface does not deteriorate from being stored in the dark.
What Else Changes for NFL Games
The conversion goes beyond the pitch. NFL games require different field markings, end zones and goal posts. The stadium has retractable football goals and a system for quickly applying NFL markings to the artificial surface. The dressing rooms are reconfigured to accommodate the larger squad sizes in American football, and dedicated NFL locker rooms are built into the stadium's lower levels.
Even the tunnel area is adapted. The players' entrance is widened for NFL games to accommodate the larger helmets and shoulder pads worn by American football players.
NFL Games at Tottenham
The first NFL game at the stadium took place in October 2019, just months after the ground opened. Since then, the venue has hosted multiple regular-season games each autumn as part of the NFL London series. Teams from across the league are assigned to play in London, and the Tottenham games have become one of the highlights of the international NFL calendar.
The atmosphere at these games is distinct from a Spurs matchday, and you can see the NFL facilities up close on a stadium tour. American football fans bring tailgate culture, team jerseys from across the league and a carnival atmosphere that is different from the tribal intensity of Premier League football.
Why Tottenham?
The NFL chose Tottenham over other London venues because of the purpose-built facilities. Wembley has hosted NFL games since 2007, but it requires temporary modifications each time. Tottenham's dedicated setup provides a better playing surface and a more authentic NFL experience.
For the club, the NFL deal provides significant additional revenue. Hosting two or three major events per season outside the football calendar helps fill the stadium on dates it would otherwise sit empty, contributing to the financial model that justified the stadium's construction cost.
