Colts-Commanders London Game Drew 4.99 Million Viewers
The Week 4 international NFL matchup reached nearly 5 million viewers on the NFL Network.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Football
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The Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders game in London averaged 4.987 million viewers during its NFL Network broadcast in Week 4. This international matchup serves as part of the league's growing footprint outside of the United States.
Why it matters
The NFL is actively expanding its international presence as it seeks to broaden its global fan base and media rights reach. The league plans to increase its total international game capacity significantly in the coming years.
The Colts-Commanders game pulled in 4.987 million viewers on the NFL Network. This follows a 2025 season where six Sunday morning international games maintained an average audience of 6.2 million viewers.
The players
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team that competes in the South Division of the American Football Conference.
Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team that represents the nation capital in the National Football League.
NFL Network
The NFL Network is a cable sports channel owned by the National Football League that broadcasts games and league-related content.
The details
Broadcast via the NFL Network, the Week 4 game held in London highlighted the league's push into major international markets. The NFL intends to scale its international schedule, targeting an increase in the maximum number of games from 10 to 16.
Timeline
In 2025, six Sunday morning international games averaged 6.2 million viewers.
The Colts-Commanders game occurred in London during Week 4, 2026.
A Texans-Jaguars game is scheduled to take place in London in Week 6, 2026.
The 2026 European series is slated to conclude in Germany in Week 10, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The ongoing expansion of the International Series marks a pivotal shift in the league's long-term global strategy. The NFL is effectively prioritizing these overseas matchups to secure new revenue streams and international market share.
The expansion of the international schedule to 16 games creates new viewing windows for fans throughout the morning hours. These shifts impact overall league schedule depth and broadcast programming availability during the regular season.
The takeaway
The NFL is rapidly scaling its international footprint with plans to increase game capacity to 16 matches. Fans should anticipate a more robust schedule of early-morning international games as the league deepens its engagement with European markets.
Further reading
For more information on league developments, visit the Football section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC Sports.
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