:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66413045/457886772.jpg.0.jpg)
After months of speculation, we reportedly could hear as early as this week that the Atlanta Falcons are officially playing in London this upcoming season against the Denver Broncos.
#Broncos playing in London as visiting team against #Falcons should become official next week. Likely will come in October after east coast road game. So #Broncos would go from that city directly to London. That is Fangio’s preference. #Denver7
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) March 1, 2020
It was revealed in November that one of the Falcons’ home games in 2020 would be played internationally, and earlier this month owner Arthur Blank said that he thinks that game will be played in London. As noted in the tweet from Troy Renck of Denver 7, the game is expected to be scheduled for October, which tells us that the Falcons’ bye week will be set somewhere around Week 5 to Week 9.
Last month, Blank shared his thoughts on the Falcons potentially playing in London.
“The NFL has had great experiences in London. Every game has sold out and the fans are full of energy, no matter who’s playing there,” Blank said. “Facilities are outstanding, so I really couldn’t be happier that we’re going back. We had a weird ending to the last game, we lost on the last play of the last game against the Lions, but we’re still looking forward to coming back. I think we’re playing against the Broncos, I think from what I’ve heard. I’m not sure, so we’ll see. But we’re excited about it.”
As Blank mentioned, the last time the Falcons played in London was against the Detroit Lions during the 2014 regular season. The game unfortunately didn’t go according to plan, as the Falcons lost a close one 21-22 thanks to an ugly Matt Ryan pick and some terrible decisions from then-head coach Mike Smith.
Although the Falcons will lose a true home game on this year's schedule, the opportunity allows them to build their brand overseas. Although it’s not official yet, look for this news to be confirmed during the week. Last week, the NFL announced that the Arizona Cardinals would host a game in Mexico City in 2020, so the timing suggests an announcement could be looming.