The Jaguars have played a home game in London for the last seven seasons and they’ll be spending twice as much time in the United Kingdom again in 2020.
The team announced on Tuesday that they will be playing two games in back-to-back weeks at Wembley Stadium during the 2020 regular season and that they will be the designated home game for both of those games.
It’s a significant change to the Jaguars schedule and comes at the same time that the team is developing a $500 million project in Jacksonville that will result in entertainment, residential and hotel properties near TIAA Bank Field. Owner Shad Khan said in a statement that both that project and the London excursions are vital to the franchise.
“This isn’t about next season or the next few seasons in Jacksonville, but really about the next 10 years, 25 years and beyond,” Khan said. “There is no better time than now to capitalize on the opportunity to play two home games in London, where we will continue to develop our loyal and growing fan base there and throughout the UK, during a period in which I will be focused heavily on creating a new downtown experience that we want, need and must have here. We have an exceptional opportunity right in front of us for Jacksonville to meet its potential and be the city I imagined we’d become when I arrived here in 2011. I am optimistic and believe it will happen.”
The dates and opponents for those games have not been announced, although the Jaguars announced that home games against the Bears and Steelers will take place in Jacksonville. They are also set to host the Colts, Titans, Texans, Browns, Lions and Dolphins.