The NFL’s UK Based Academy Program Announces Games and Roster for 2025-26 Season

Schedule to Include Four Games Against U.S. High School Opposition

Tickets for the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 8 on sale now

68 Players From 20 Different Countries on 2025-26 Roster

The NFL’s UK based Academy program has announced its game schedule for the upcoming season as the program marks the start of the 2025-26 academic year.

Welcoming 68 individuals from 20 different countries to the roster, the NFL’s elite player development program based in Loughborough, U.K., supports talented student athletes from across the world.

Following strong performances during the 2024 season, the Academy will once again face key matchups against four highly regarded U.S. high school teams.

The team’s season will kick off in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 22nd against The Hun School, New Jersey. The game will take place as part of the Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT) ahead of the 2025 Aer Lingus College Football Classic.

The season’s second game is scheduled for a week later, with the team travelling to the U.S. to take on the Edgewater Eagles in Orlando, Florida, on Aug. 29th. The match-up represents a rematch of the sides’ thrilling 2024 meeting in Loughborough, in which Edgewater claimed victory by 51-45.

The highlight of the season will come on Oct. 8th, when the NFL Academy return to the field at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They will face off against 16-time State and 3-time National champions, St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Tickets for the game are available to purchase via Ticketmaster, with all proceeds going to support the NFL Foundation UK and NFL Academy.

The final match-up against U.S. high schools sees the NFL Academy return to the U.S. for a meeting with IMG Academy in Florida. Having played the state IMG team for the past three seasons here in Europe, the NFL Academy will now play the IMG National team for the first time.

On the sidelines, Steve Hagen will also continue in his role as Head Coach for a third season, seeking to build on the program’s success to date. 2025 will see over 40 NFL Academy alumni playing NCAA college football, with 27 set to feature in Division I.

“It’s always a challenge to blend the old with the new so we’re excited to see what the new players can bring to the upcoming season,” said Head Coach, Steve Hagen. “We look forward to continuing to build on our past successes and helping all our player to achieve their fullest potential, both on the field and in the classroom.”

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