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NFL won’t hold international games in 2020 because of the coronavirus outbreak

Fans arrive at Azteca stadium in Mexico City before an NFL football game between the Oakland Raiders and the New England Patriots on Nov. 19, 2017.
Fans arrive at Azteca stadium in Mexico City before an NFL football game between the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots on Nov. 19, 2017. The league will not play any international games in 2020 because of coronavirus concerns.
(Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press)
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The NFL is moving its five games scheduled for London and Mexico City this season back to U.S. stadiums because of the coronavirus pandemic, two people with knowledge of the switch told the Associated Press.

All five regular-season games will be played at the stadiums of the host teams, the people said, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity Monday because the decision has not been announced publicly.

Scheduled were two home games for the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London and two at Tottenham’s new facility, with the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins as hosts. The Arizona Cardinals were set to be the home team for the game at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

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Don Shula, who led the Miami Dolphins to two Super Bowl titles and the only undefeated season in NFL history, died Monday. He was 90.

May 4, 2020

Opponents had not been announced.

The NFL has staged regular-season matches in London every year since 2007. Since 2013, the Jaguars have hosted one game there each season.

Mexico City has had a regular-season game in 2016, 2017 and 2019.

The league is set to release the full schedule this week and is planning on adhering to it, though contingencies are being discussed as a safeguard against the pandemic.

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