Forty-four athletes will be selected to participate in a series of tests in front of NFL evaluators at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over October 3-4; athletes representing as many as 13 countries will be evaluated for a potential position in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program
Last Updated: 05/09/22 4:05pm
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Brett Gosper, head of Europe and UK NFL, discusses the International Combine taking place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the league’s future in the UK, Germany and the rest of Europe.
Brett Gosper, head of Europe and UK NFL, discusses the International Combine taking place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the league’s future in the UK, Germany and the rest of Europe.
The NFL’s International Combine will return to London and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the second consecutive year in 2022.
Mirrored after the annual NFL Combine staged in the United States, the invitational scouting showcase is designed to discover and evaluate potential NFL talent globally. Forty-four athletes will be selected to participate in a series of tests in front of NFL evaluators at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over October 3-4.
“Hosting the International Combine in London for the second year provides tremendous exposure for our great game,” said Roman Oben, the NFL’s vice president of football development. “The Combine allows us to evaluate new talent globally, shine a spotlight on our sport and provide an opportunity for participants to compete at the highest level.”
Athletes representing as many as 13 countries will be evaluated for a potential position in the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) program.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
The NFL’s Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, Chris Halpin, discusses the International Combine at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where 50 entrants have been hoping to land contracts with teams in the competition.
Instituted in 2017, the IPP program aims to provide elite international athletes the opportunity to compete at the NFL level, improve their skills, and ultimately earn a spot on an NFL roster.
Following the International Combine, a select number of athletes who meet specific performance requirements and display the potential to play in the NFL, will be invited to train in the United States for three months. This group will be reduced yet again following the training phase in the US and a select number will be allocated to NFL clubs for the 2023 season.
Efe Obada has played for the Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills and now the Washington Commanders since joining the NFL in 2017 through the IPP program
The International Combine is the first step in the process towards participation in the IPP program that has helped players such as Efe Obada (UK/Washington Commanders), Jakob Johnson (Germany/Las Vegas Raiders) and Jordan Mailata (Australia/Philadelphia Eagles) earn an NFL roster spot.
This year Marcel Dabo (Germany/Indianapolis Colts), Adedayo Odeleye (UK/Houston Texans) Thomas Odukoya (Netherlands/Tennessee Titans) and Ayo Oyelola (UK/Jacksonville Jaguars) will join the practice squads of their respective AFC South teams.
The 2022 International Combine will be the fourth iteration, after one in Australia in 2018 and Germany in 2019. The NFL also conducted a combine in Mexico in October of 2021 for athletes unable to make it to London due to travel restrictions.
Don’t miss a second of the 2022 NFL season with Sky Sports NFL – join us for all the live action, starting with Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams from 1.20am on Friday, September 9.
