An American football office in London: Inside the NFL’s U.K. headquarters
Even 3,300 miles from the nearest NFL franchise, the league is right at home in London.
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NFL and Premier League set their sights on global growth — but their strategies differ
Unlike the NFL, which regularly plays international games, the Premier League has never held any regular-season matches outside England.
With concussion protocols, soccer leagues aim to protect their players without changing the game
The science may be the same, but cultural attitudes toward tradition, toughness and risk divide how U.S. and English leagues approach player safety.
Inside the U.K. basketball dynamic that lets college players compete with pros
On Wednesdays, Amelia Scharpf takes the court for Cardiff Met University in collegiate basketball competition. On Saturdays, she does the same — but plays in the United Kingdom’s top professional league.
Could the United Kingdom host the Super Bowl?
Yes — but it’s not that simple.
From the DMV to the Premier League: How Americans are influencing soccer in the United Kingdom
“How did a Yank end up doing a dream job?” asked Lee Hoos, Harford County native turned chairman of London’s Queens Park Rangers. He is just one of the Americans making his mark on the sport across the pond.
Merrill Matchday: Tales from London Study Abroad
As the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism reports from around the UK, hosts Eddy Calkins and Brendan Weissel break down each day’s reporting and adventures.
Where fashion meets soccer: How Classic Football Shirts is growing the beautiful game
Casually wearing jerseys once carried a stigma, particularly in the United Kingdom. But football fashion has since evolved.
London’s Buffalo Bills community rallies for wild-card win over Jaguars
The group takes over the Fitzrovia Belle in London every NFL Sunday.
Arsenal are at forefront of women’s soccer stadium revolution
The Gunners’ full-time move to 60,000-seat stadium highlights growth of women’s game.
What do U.K. football fans think about the U.S. hosting the 2026 World Cup?
Football fans in the United Kingdom have mixed opinions on the World Cup coming to the United States.
Controversial finish puts Premier League’s VAR technology in spotlight
The fate of West Ham United, a Premier League club sitting near the bottom of the table and firmly in the relegation zone, changed in an instant thanks to two video assistant referee (VAR) reviews.
Dynasties, salaries and hot dog prices: How Major League Soccer compares to the Premier League
Off-field aspects — such as season formats, player salaries and fan customs — distinguish the EPL and MLS from one another.
ABOUT
Soccer is a global sport. Its center of gravity is arguably the United Kingdom and the Premier League. Join student reporters from The Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism as they explore the expanding role of Americans in the Premier League as well as on the sport in the UK and around the world.
For "American Soccer Abroad," 24 student reporters will travel to London for ten days. During the reporting trip, they will conduct interviews, attend games and visit points of interest for soccer fans. In addition, they will visit media organizations to learn about news coverage of soccer in the UK at all professional levels.
Half of the 20 clubs in the UK's Premier League count Americans as majority owners. Americans are working in myriad roles including front office executives, player agents and, of course, players — in men’s and women’s soccer. How are Americans impacting a sport that deeply values tradition and custom? Have UK soccer fans embraced the influence of Americans?
The subject is especially timely as men's FIFA World Cup in 2026 will be based in North America and championship matches will be played in the United States for the first time since 1994.
American Soccer Abroad will be directed by Povich Center Director Mark Hyman, Povich Center Assistant Director Kate Yanchulis and Nathan Stevens, Broadcast Production Instructor at Merrill College of Journalism.
Reporting produced in the course will be published by Capital News Service, the journalism school’s digital news site.
