Which are the most popular NFL teams in the UK?
You are probably well used to seeing loads of random NFL caps around your local Tesco in the UK. But which are the most popular NFL teams in the UK according to actual data?
It’s a question that doesn’t have quite as simple an answer as you might expect.
Ask a group of British NFL fans and you’ll probably find everything from Dolphins and Bears fans who started watching in the 1980s to Patriots fans from the Tom Brady era and newer Chiefs fans who have arrived during the Patrick Mahomes years.
But what does the data say?
UK Rookie has looked at the latest available 2026 YouGov UK popularity data alongside estimated UK Google search demand to see which NFL teams are generating the most interest in Britain.
And there are a few surprises…
What Is the Most Popular NFL Team in the UK?
According to the latest YouGov Ratings data, the New York Giants have the highest positive-opinion rating among the NFL teams listed by YouGov in the UK, at 24%. I didn’t expect that! Feels like the Giants have been in hibernation since I started getting into the NFL.
The Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys are just behind on 23%, followed by the Green Bay Packers on 21% and Seattle Seahawks on 20%. The data covers Q2 2026. YouGov
But that doesn’t mean 24% of British NFL fans support the Giants.
YouGov’s popularity rating measures the percentage of respondents with a positive opinion of a team. Its separate fame figure measures the percentage who have heard of the team. YouGov
Google searches tell another story again…
Search-demand data measures how often people are looking for teams online — which can give us an indication of current interest, but again shouldn’t be treated as an exact measurement of supporter numbers.
So there isn’t one perfect answer to the question right now. But definitely, some nice nuggets.
How Popular Are NFL Teams in the UK?
| Team | Positive opinion | Heard of team | Est. UK Google searches/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 23% | 74% | 60,500 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 23% | 72% | 49,500 |
| Miami Dolphins | 17% | 57% | 49,500 |
| Green Bay Packers | 21% | 64% | 40,500 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 18% | 53% | 40,500 |
| Denver Broncos | 14% | 55% | 33,100 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 11% | 46% | 33,100 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 10% | 49% | 33,100 |
| Cleveland Browns | 11% | 43% | 33,100 |
| Buffalo Bills | 10% | 47% | 27,100 |
| Detroit Lions | — | — | 27,100 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 16% | 44% | 27,100 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 12% | 45% | 30,000* |
| New York Giants | 24% | 75% | 22,200 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 15% | 36% | 22,200 |
| New England Patriots | 17% | 56% | 22,200 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | — | — | 22,200 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 19% | 56% | 22,200 |
| Washington Commanders | — | — | 22,200 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 11% | 42% | 18,100 |
| New York Jets | 18% | 71% | 18,100 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | — | — | 18,100 |
| Carolina Panthers | — | — | 14,800 |
| Houston Texans | — | — | 14,800 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 14% | 39% | 14,800 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 20% | 42% | 14,800 |
| Atlanta Falcons | — | — | 12,100 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | — | — | 12,100 |
| Indianapolis Colts | — | — | 12,100 |
| New Orleans Saints | — | — | 12,100 |
| Arizona Cardinals | — | — | 11,000* |
| Tennessee Titans | — | — | 9,900 |
How to read the data: YouGov’s positive-opinion figure measures popularity among UK adults and does not represent the percentage who support each team. “Have heard of team” measures awareness. Google search figures are estimated monthly UK searches for the team name and measure online interest rather than supporter numbers. YouGov data is Q2 2026; search-demand estimates are the latest available figures checked by UK Rookie.
The New York Giants Top the Latest UK Popularity Ratings
The biggest surprise might be the team sitting at the top of YouGov’s latest rankings.
The New York Giants have a 24% positive-opinion rating and 75% fame rating in Britain, making them both the highest-rated NFL team on YouGov’s current list and one of the most recognised. YouGov
New York itself undoubtedly helps make both the Giants and Jets recognisable names internationally, but the Giants also have plenty of history for British fans to latch onto. Their Super Bowl victories during the NFL’s growth years in Britain, followed by the Eli Manning-era championships, mean several generations of UK fans have seen successful Giants teams.
Interestingly, though, the Giants aren’t necessarily Britain’s most searched NFL team. And that’s where things get more interesting.
The Chicago Bears Look Particularly Strong in Britain
If we’re looking for a team that performs strongly across different measures, the Chicago Bears have a compelling case.
The Bears score 23% for positive opinion and 74% for fame in the latest YouGov data, putting them just behind the Giants. YouGov
They also have a deep connection with Britain’s first major NFL boom.
The legendary 1985 Bears arrived at almost exactly the right time for British fans discovering American football through television, and their Super Bowl-winning team became one of the sport’s most recognisable franchises.
That means Bears fandom in Britain isn’t simply a result of what’s happening in the NFL today. There are British Bears fans who have followed the team for decades.
Why Are the Miami Dolphins So Popular in the UK?
The Miami Dolphins are another fascinating example of how the history of the NFL in Britain still influences fandom today.
Miami has a 17% positive-opinion rating in YouGov’s Q2 2026 data, but search data suggests there remains considerable online interest in the Dolphins among UK users. YouGov
For many long-term British NFL fans, Miami was one of the teams they encountered when American football first became widely available on UK television. And come on, their logo and colours are pretty cool too.
The combination of the Dolphins’ history, the iconic Miami identity and legendary players such as Dan Marino helped establish a British following that has survived through multiple generations.
This is why looking only at recent Super Bowl winners doesn’t tell the full story of NFL fans in the UK.
America’s Team Has Plenty of Interest in Britain Too
It’s hardly surprising to see the Dallas Cowboys near the top. Dallas has a 23% positive-opinion rating and 72% fame rating in the latest YouGov UK figures. YouGov
The Cowboys have spent decades marketing themselves as one of American sport’s biggest brands, and their distinctive star logo and “America’s Team” nickname have given them recognition far beyond the United States.
Whether they’re winning or losing, people tend to know who the Dallas Cowboys are. And British NFL fans are clearly no exception.
The Patrick Mahomes Effect: Kansas City Chiefs
There’s also a newer generation of British NFL fandom.
The Kansas City Chiefs have an 18% positive-opinion rating in the latest YouGov data. YouGov
Their modern success has made the Chiefs one of the most visible NFL franchises in Britain, particularly among people who have started following the league more recently.
Patrick Mahomes, repeated Super Bowl appearances and the enormous international attention surrounding the franchise have all put Kansas City in front of potential new NFL fans. This illustrates one of the biggest differences between measuring established support and measuring current interest.
The team your dad started supporting in 1985 and the team somebody discovers through the Super Bowl in 2026 can be very different.
What Are British NFL Fans Searching for on Google?
This gives us another way of looking at the popularity of NFL teams in the UK. Search demand isn’t the same thing as support.
Someone searching for the San Francisco 49ers might be a 49ers fan — but they could just as easily be checking a score, researching a player or finding out who they’re playing.
Nevertheless, sustained search volume gives us a useful indication of which franchises are commanding attention.
For example, Hyperset’s current team data estimates approximately 22,200 monthly UK searches for the full “San Francisco 49ers” team name, while the Houston Texans generate around 14,800 and New Orleans Saints around 12,100. Hyperset Group
An earlier Hyperset UK-wide analysis found the Chiefs leading UK NFL team search demand in October 2025, with the Eagles and 49ers next. That demonstrates another important point: search interest changes over time as teams win, lose and reach major games. Hyperset Group
For that reason, UK Rookie will keep updating the search figures in this article as newer data becomes available.
Why Do UK NFL Fans Support So Many Different Teams?
One of the best things about following the NFL in Britain is that there isn’t really a default team.
Football fans in Manchester tend to grow up surrounded by Manchester United and Manchester City supporters.
NFL fandom doesn’t work like that.
A British NFL fan might choose a team because of:
- – the first Super Bowl they watched
- – a favourite player
- – family or friends
- – a holiday in America
- – a team’s colours or logo
- – watching them play in London
- – Madden
- – fantasy football
- – or simply because they liked the team when they first discovered the NFL. It’s a minefield trying to pin it down
And because different generations discovered American football at different times, Britain’s NFL fanbase has developed in waves.
The Dolphins and Bears benefited from the sport’s original UK television boom. The Cowboys, Packers and 49ers built international recognition through decades of NFL history. The Patriots attracted another generation during the Brady era. And the Chiefs have been one of the defining teams for fans discovering the NFL more recently.
That mixture is what makes the UK NFL fanbase so interesting.
Have the NFL London Games Changed Which Teams Britain Supports?
Almost certainly in terms of exposure — although measuring how many fans have actually changed or chosen teams because of London is much harder.
The NFL London Games have given British fans the opportunity to watch regular-season football without travelling to America.
And no franchise has been more closely associated with London than the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville currently has a 15% positive-opinion rating among UK adults in YouGov’s rankings. YouGov
Repeated appearances in Britain have made the Jaguars considerably more visible to UK fans than their US market size alone might suggest. See our London Games 2026 guide for more info.
As more franchises play games here, the London series could continue influencing which teams the next generation of British fans choose to follow.
Which NFL Teams Are Most Recognised in the UK?
This is another interesting part of the YouGov data.
Recognition isn’t the same as support, but it tells us which NFL brands have broken furthest into British mainstream awareness.
Among the teams currently listed by YouGov, the New York Giants lead with 75% fame, followed closely by the Chicago Bears at 74%, Dallas Cowboys at 72% and New York Jets at 71%. YouGov
That means roughly three quarters of UK adults in YouGov’s measurement recognise some of the NFL’s biggest names.
For a sport based thousands of miles away, that’s significant brand awareness.
So, What Is Britain’s Favourite NFL Team?
There isn’t a single definitive answer.
If we use YouGov’s positive-opinion measure, the New York Giants currently come out on top among the teams it lists.
If we use Google search demand, the picture changes and can fluctuate considerably depending on current success and interest.
And if we asked only dedicated UK NFL fans to name the team they actually support, we could get a different result again. That’s why we’d be wary of declaring any franchise definitively “Britain’s most supported NFL team.”
What we can say is that the Giants, Bears, Cowboys, Dolphins, Packers, 49ers, Chiefs and several other franchises all show strong signs of British recognition, interest or popularity depending on the measure used.
And that’s probably a better reflection of the NFL in Britain than having one dominant team.
Which NFL Team Should I Support?
New to the NFL and still haven’t picked a team?
Don’t worry — you don’t need to support the Chiefs just because they’re successful or the Jaguars just because they play in London.
We’ve built our UK Rookie NFL Team Picker specifically for new fans.
Answer a few questions and we’ll help match you with an NFL team based on what you’re looking for.
Already have your team?
We’ve also put together a directory of UK NFL fan clubs covering teams across the league.
And once you’ve picked your side, come and tell us who you support in the UK Rookie Forum!
FAQs
What is the most popular NFL team in the UK?
The New York Giants currently have the highest positive-opinion rating among NFL teams listed in YouGov’s Q2 2026 UK Ratings, at 24%. However, this should not be interpreted as 24% of British NFL fans supporting the Giants. YouGov
Which NFL team has the most fans in the UK?
There isn’t currently a definitive dataset counting supporters of all 32 NFL teams in Britain. Surveys, search demand, merchandise sales and social-media audiences measure different aspects of popularity, so claims that one team definitively has the largest UK fanbase should be treated carefully.
What are the most famous NFL teams in the UK?
The New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets are among the most widely recognised NFL franchises in YouGov’s latest UK data, with fame ratings ranging from 71% to 75%. YouGov
Why are the Miami Dolphins popular in the UK?
Miami established a strong profile during the NFL’s early growth on British television. That historical exposure helped create a long-standing generation of British Dolphins supporters.
Why are the Jacksonville Jaguars associated with the UK?
Jacksonville has played repeatedly in London, giving the franchise unusually sustained exposure to British NFL audiences.
Which NFL team should a UK fan support?
There’s no requirement for a UK fan to choose a particular franchise. Some choose based on players, history, city, colours, London appearances or personal connections. UK Rookie’s NFL Team Picker is designed to help new fans narrow down their choice.
