It’s official: the Houston Texans will make their first foray into the British NFL empire when they play the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on Nov. 3.
The intra-AFC South contest will be hosted by the Jaguars at the home of the England National Football team. The 86,000-seater stadium, which was opened in 2007, replaced the iconic original 1920’s stadium which featured the well known twin towers at its entrance. The modern stadium features the famed Wembley arch overhead, and a hybrid grass/artificial turf field. This slick surface has proved problematic with NFL players over the last few years, who have struggled to get used to the grads surface particularly when doused in the typical British wet weather.
The Texans will kick off their debut in the UK at 8:30 a.m. Central Time, marking their first appearance on morning television. The players will have a six-hour time difference and and eight to 10-hour flight to overcome beforehand, which could prove problematic considering their lack of experience with the situation in comparison to their divisional rivals.
