American football has taken over one of the world’s most famous shopping streets. The NFL’s official pop-up shop opens its doors on Oxford Street today, Thursday 1 October, launching a 1,000 sq ft store at 360–366 Oxford Street as the league’s three-game London series kicks off this weekend.
Run by Fanatics, the league’s official retail partner, the store will trade from today through Monday 19 October — covering all three of October’s fixtures and giving supporters somewhere to gear up before, between and after the games.
Inside, fans will find official jerseys and merchandise spanning every NFL team, alongside products created exclusively for the London run. The exclusive ranges, made specifically for this year’s games, are expected to be among the biggest draws for collectors and first-time buyers alike.
The store will double as an events venue through a programme called NFL Shop LIVE! Tonight’s opening-night session sees former NFL defensive end Efe Obada — the British-born pass rusher who became one of the faces of the sport’s growth in the UK — sit down with broadcaster Neil Reynolds to talk through his NFL career and a new charity project.
Next Thursday, 8 October, Reynolds returns alongside broadcaster and former Great Britain player Phoebe Schecter to record a London Games special of “Inside the Huddle” in front of a live audience. Both events begin at 6pm, with limited seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.
There is a second retail stop on the schedule. The store at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium becomes an official NFL Shop from Saturday 3 October to Sunday 11 October, spanning both games at the ground. It launches with a family day this Saturday, running from 10am to 3pm, with games, prizes, exclusive merchandise and special guest appearances.
The three fixtures at the heart of it all:
- Sunday 4 October: Indianapolis Colts v Washington Commanders — Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Sunday 11 October: Philadelphia Eagles v Jacksonville Jaguars — Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Sunday 18 October: Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars — Wembley Stadium
London’s love affair with American football is now nearly two decades old. Wembley hosted the first NFL regular-season game played outside North America back in 2007, and the annual October pilgrimage has grown into one of the sporting calendar’s surest bets — huge crowds, many in the colours of teams with no obvious connection to the capital, packing out two of the country’s biggest stadiums three weekends running.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which opened in 2019, was designed from the outset with the NFL in mind: a retractable grass pitch, purpose-built American football facilities and sightlines that make it one of the finest venues the sport has anywhere in the world. It has since become the de facto home of the London games, hosting two of this year’s three fixtures. The Jaguars, playing twice in London this October, have become the capital’s adopted team after years of annual visits.
For supporters, the Oxford Street opening adds a new dimension to the October ritual. Gamedays at Tottenham and Wembley have long come with fan zones and tailgate-style gatherings; a central-London store, open daily for nearly three weeks, gives travelling fans somewhere to pick up colours before kick-off — and gives curious Londoners a low-commitment way in. The exclusive London ranges, available only here, are clearly pitched at both.
It is also the latest big retail moment for Oxford Street, which is set for one of the biggest changes in its history when it goes traffic-free from 26 October. The pop-up joins a street that never sits still — the John Lewis rooftop’s heated Christmas igloos are already confirmed to return later in the year.
Getting there is straightforward: the store sits moments from Oxford Circus station on the Central, Victoria and Bakerloo lines, with Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street also within easy walking distance. Fans heading to the games can reach Tottenham Hotspur Stadium via White Hart Lane and Seven Sisters stations, and Wembley Stadium via Wembley Park.
Wembley has already had a taste of American football this autumn, hosting the first-ever Union Jack Classic college game.
With big crowds expected across the capital this month, the NFL’s Oxford Street takeover looks set to be one of October’s defining sights. The doors open today — and for the next 19 days, the road to the London games runs through W1.
