Jaguars Eye First London Sweep As U.K. Future Remains Uncertain

The Jaguars are eyeing the franchise’s first London sweep on Sunday as the team’s international future could be shifting.

After defeating the Eagles 19-17 with a walk-off field goal in front of 61,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last Sunday, the Jaguars will host their AFC South rival Texans this Sunday at Wembley Stadium. The Jaguars gave up two games in Jacksonville to be the designated home team for both London matchups—a first for the club, which in its previous two-game London stints played one as the designated home team and one as the away team. 

The NFL operated the Eagles-Jaguars game at Tottenham and kept revenue as it does for most international matchups, but the Jaguars operate and keep revenue from their Wembley games as part of their contract with the league and venue. The Jaguars went 1-1 in each of the previous two times they’ve played consecutive games in London in 2023 and 2024. On Sunday, the Jaguars (4-1 this season) are only slight betting favorites over the Texans (1-4).

The Texans just landed in London on Friday, but Jaguars coach Liam Coen isn’t convinced the extra time abroad will mean a lopsided result like when the 49ers got to Australia early and blew out the Rams, who arrived the day before the season-opener. “I don’t know,” Coen said during a press conference this week. “Last year we played the Rams (in London). We were here early, they came in late, and we got our butts whooped.” Coen added that being in London for an extended time “helps being in a routine,” but “ultimately, I’m not sure it truly affects Sunday.”

NFL Network will air Texans-Jaguars at 9:30 a.m. ET, after Eagles-Jaguars averaged 8.1 million viewers on the channel last week, marking NFL Network’s most-watched London game on record.

Jaguars on the Move

The Jaguars gave up two home games this year as a $1.4 billion renovation project at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville is underway. The venue is operating at a reduced capacity of roughly 42,500 this season. In 2027, the Jaguars will play home games in Orlando and have the ability to move up to three of their nine home games next season abroad, if they want.

“I enjoy being here personally,” Coen said of London. The coach spent time in the U.K. on vacation this summer, and praised The Grove luxury resort where the Jaguars stay and the additional time for team bonding. “It was cool walking through the dining room and seeing players playing cards together, hanging out, watching stuff together,” Coen said. “I think we have just spent more time together organically this week, which I don’t think is a bad thing.”

Once the Jaguars move back into the renovated EverBank Stadium in 2028, though, there is no guarantee their annual trips to London, which began in 2013, will continue. Last month, Jaguars owner Shad Khan said the team was “reflecting” on its international strategy.

This week, Khan’s son Tony, who is chief football strategy officer for the Jaguars, echoed that sentiment. “Jacksonville’s such a great home for us, and I think that the international games have been really tremendous, and we’ve had a lot of success in them—built a great international base,” Khan said on Jacksonville Sports Radio. “But certainly, Jacksonville is the home, and with the Stadium of the Future, I know that’s going to be the big emphasis for us.”