Ticketmaster temporarily halted sales for 2025 NFL games in London due to overwhelming demand and traffic. The ticket release occurred on Thursday at noon local time in the United Kingdom. More than 250,000 fans entered the online queue for tickets shortly after sales began.
Ticketmaster initiated the pause to prevent bots and resellers from dominating the sales process. The company said the decision aimed to “ensure genuine fans are able to purchase tickets.” Fans already in the queue will retain their positions, according to Ticketmaster.
The NFL put tickets on sale today for its London games at 12pm local time — and chaos followed. Fans were placed in a queue with over 250,000 people (!!) ahead of them.
Ticketmaster has now temporarily paused sales to monitor the queue and ensure real fans can buy tickets.… pic.twitter.com/55kRmkwRXA
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 29, 2025
Games Draw Massive Interest
The NFL will host three regular season games in London in 2025. Week 5 features the Minnesota Vikings against the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. In Week 6, the New York Jets face the Denver Broncos at the same venue.
Week 7 will see the Los Angeles Rams meet the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. The Jaguars will play their 14th game in London, maintaining their unofficial status as London’s home team.
High Stakes for Ticket Access
Ticketmaster often pauses queues during heavy demand to verify human buyers and limit bot activity. Bots can bulk-buy dozens of tickets per transaction. This can lead to entire stadium sections being acquired by automated programs.
Chris Cwik of Yahoo Sports confirmed Ticketmaster paused sales “shortly after they went on sale Thursday.” He noted the step was to “ensure genuine fans are able to purchase tickets.” Cwik wrote that “some of that queue may have consisted of resale vendors and bots.”
London Continues to Embrace NFL
The NFL started staging games in London during the 2007 season. Initially, only one game occurred per year. The league expanded to two games in 2013 and three by 2014. London hosted at least one NFL game each year except 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium have both hosted NFL games in recent years. These venues have become central to the league’s growing presence in the United Kingdom.
International Expansion Accelerates
The NFL plans to play seven international games during the 2025 regular season. This includes games in Brazil, Germany, Ireland, and Spain. Brazil will host the opening international matchup, while Spain will close the schedule.
The NFL also has history in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Sweden, and Australia, with regular season and preseason games. The league previously operated NFL Europe, a minor league system with teams in Germany and the Netherlands.
Several players from NFL Europe advanced to win Super Bowls. These include Brad Johnson, Adam Vinatieri and Kurt Warner.
NFL aims for International expansion
Fan Demand Grows Rapidly
Ticketmaster said, “We understand how frustrating this is.” The statement followed intense backlash from fans who faced delays in purchasing tickets. Queues of over 250,000 people formed on the website within hours of the release.
The platform’s decision aimed to stop scalping and allow access for regular fans. Automated systems remain a significant threat to fair ticket sales globally. Ticketmaster’s pause sought to minimise unfair bulk purchases.
Global Footprint Expands Further
NFL games have seen increasing support across Europe and beyond. Each international game sees growing demand and fan engagement. The league’s push into new markets reflects its strategy to globalise the sport.
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Suggestions of a European NFL team continue to circulate. Analysts consider the fan base strong enough to support permanent expansion. For now, the league will monitor ticket demand and audience interest across its 2025 venues.
More Games, More Countries
Three games will be held in London. Brazil, Germany, Ireland, and Spain will each host one NFL game during the season. London remains a central hub for international matches, with Wembley and Tottenham stadiums both part of the yearly schedule.
The NFL confirmed these games in its global season plan, which highlights international growth. Ticketmaster’s involvement continues as fans await resumed access to London game tickets.
Continued Interest Expected
The NFL’s London presence appears likely to grow in coming years. Ticketmaster’s pause shows the depth of fan demand. With regular season games now stretching across six countries, the league’s global reach has expanded steadily.
For fans in the United Kingdom and abroad, interest in attending live games continues to climb. With over 250,000 queuing for tickets, the appetite for gridiron football in London remains strong.
