American football is growing steadily in popularity across the UK. In fact, it is often cited as the fastest-growing fandom nationwide. The National Football League is well aware of this, putting significant effort into UK broadcasting and social media marketing, and it’s worked a treat, creating both a hardcore and wider casual fanbase.
Right now, it’s hurtling toward the climax of the NFL season. There are just a few rounds of the regular season left to go before we hit the Playoffs (knockout rounds) and the Super Bowl in January and February. It’s the most exciting part of the campaign, especially for fans of teams still in with a shot at glory.
If you happen to find yourself in conversation with some football fans or stuck for what to say at a Super Bowl party (big business these days), or maybe you just want a primer on this NFL season, we have a quick cheatsheet to bring you up to speed:
The lie of the land
The NFL is composed of 32 teams, split into two conferences (NFC and AFC), each with eight divisions of four teams. Each team plays 17 games across the regular season, with three of those held in London. Teams that top their divisions qualify for the Playoffs, as well as three Wild Card teams with the best records. While teams from the NFC and AFC will play each other in the regular season, the Playoffs are split by conference. The winner of each Conference Final will play in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium, California, on 8th February.
What’s happening this season?
It is interesting to say the least. The 2025 NFL season has been characterised by lots of shock results and surprise teams. You can cite the likes of the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars as teams defying the odds to become real challengers. Others, like the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs were tipped to do well at the start of the season but have work to do. The Philadelphia Eagles are the defending Super Bowl champions.
Who’s in the driving seat?
As per the above, it’s been a season of shocks. You can click here for the latest 2026 Super Bowl odds, but it feels like it has been changing every week. At a push, the LA Rams have probably been the most impressive team thus far, followed by fellow NFC side the Seattle Seahawks. The pair contests the same division, though, so they can’t meet in the Super Bowl. In the AFC, the aforementioned Patriots have gained respect as the season has progressed. The Denver Broncos have also impressed, all the more so as it seems they will unseat the Kansas City Chiefs as kings of the AFC West.
What are the other narratives?
The pressure is on some big names. Quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Josh Allen (Bills) and Lamar Jackson (Ravens) have dominated the league across the 2020s, but they are just not hitting full throttle this season, and even getting a bit of criticism here and there. The key question is whether these stars end up using their nous and experience in the Playoffs, making a mockery of their critics.
What else is under discussion?
There’s a rather interesting narrative brewing in Pittsburgh. The Steelers took a big chance on Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback. Rodgers is one of the modern greats – a four-time MVP – but he is also 42 and not immune to controversy. So far, it’s worked, and the Steelers look like they could make the Playoffs. Could Rodgers deliver one more great postseason before he calls it a day?
And one last thing
Data showed that around 12% of the UK public made plans to watch last season’s Super Bowl, signifying again that growth in popularity. It is, of course, both a cultural and sporting event, with elements like the Half-Time Show (Bad Bunny is the year’s star attraction and celeb-spotting (Taylor Swift is engaged to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce) also on the menu. It’s spectacular in every sense, and we wouldn’t be surprised if we see record UK viewership in February.
