Wembley welcomes 'rabid' college football fans

Wembley Stadium, one of the most iconic sports venues in the world, played host to its first American college football game on Saturday, drawing in a crowd of enthusiastic fans. The event, which saw the University of Oregon Ducks take on the University of Georgia Bulldogs, was billed as a major test of the appetite for American football in the UK. The answer, it seems, was a resounding yes, with reports of a "rabid" crowd of over 60,000 fans packing the stadium to cheer on their teams.

The decision to stage a college football game at Wembley is part of a broader trend of American sports leagues and events looking to expand their reach beyond their traditional markets in the United States. The NFL, for example, has been staging regular-season games in London for over a decade, and the success of these events has paved the way for other American sports to follow suit. College football, in particular, has a strong following in the UK, and the event at Wembley is likely to have done much to further boost its popularity.

So what's next for American sports in the UK? With the success of Saturday's college football game, it's likely that we'll see more events of this kind in the future. The NFL is already planning to stage multiple games in London next season, and other sports, such as basketball and baseball, are also likely to follow suit. As the UK's appetite for American sports continues to grow, we can expect to see more high-profile events staged in the country, and Wembley is likely to remain at the forefront of this trend.

Originally reported by bbc.co.uk. EuroNewsletter adds analysis for general news readers.