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| (Image Source: FightbookMMA.com/NFL Academy) |
The NFL (National Football League) Academy has officially kicked off its 2026-27 season schedule, welcoming 70 student-athletes representing 21 different countries to the elite player-development program based in Loughborough, United Kingdom. The season features an international slate designed to challenge the next generation of American football talent, including matchups against highly regarded high school programs from the United States and an expanded European schedule.
The program’s 2026-2027 season officially commenced last August 20, 2026 in Loughborough featuring the Marietta Blue Devils from Marietta High School in Georgia. The opening game is now available for on-demand streaming on the NFL UK & Ireland YouTube channel. Following strong performances during the 2025 season, the NFL Academy tested itself against some of the most accomplished high school football programs in the United States. The Academy traveled to Ohio for consecutive games against Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron last August 28 and Massillon High School last September 4. Both programs are among the most decorated high school football teams in Ohio, giving the NFL Academy an early opportunity to measure itself against elite American competition. The Academy will then return to the United Kingdom before heading back across the Atlantic later in the season. On October 6, the program will play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London where it will face Friendship Bowl Academy from Mexico. The matchup marks the second meeting between the NFL Academy and Mexican opposition after the teams previously met in Madrid during the 2025-2026 season. The NFL Academy’s U.S. schedule will conclude on October 16 against perennial powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The Academy and IMG have developed a regular matchup, providing NFL Academy prospects with another opportunity to compete against one of America’s premier football development programs. The 2026-2027 schedule also includes a significantly expanded European component as the NFL Academy faced the GB Football Development program last September 12 and is set to host Programm Berlin on September 19, AVO Academy on September 26, and Benelux Football in Loughborough on October 3. The international schedule will conclude with road games against the Spanish National Team U19 in Madrid on November 7 and Team Austria U19 in Innsbruck on November 14, giving NFL Academy athletes the opportunity to compete against different playing styles and football cultures throughout the season.
Kris Durham continues as head of the NFL’s UK-based Academy program after being appointed to the position in September 2025. Durham said the international schedule is designed to provide the Academy’s athletes with the level of competition required to develop both on and off the field. He stated, “Every season brings a new group of athletes with different backgrounds, and our job is to give each of them the environment to reach their potential. This schedule will test us against some of the best high school programs in the U.S. and the strongest youth sides in Europe, and that is exactly the standard our student athletes need if they are going to earn opportunities on and off the field.” The program is already producing a significant number of college football prospects as more than 50 NFL Academy alumni are expected to play NCAA college football during the 2026-2027 academic year with more than 30 competing at the Division I level. The 2026-2027 NFL Academy roster features players from across Europe, North America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. These include:
• Australia / Egypt: Hamza El-Ghobashy — OL
• Australia / Samoa: Zarius Matavoa — DL/TE
• Austria: Lennox Imina-Osemwegie — LB/RB, Mauricio Pires — WR
• Austria / Syria: Shams Alnusyrat — DL
• Belgium: Stan Pichon — WR/DB
• Canada: Nathan Morris — RB, Viktor Lachambre — QB, Andrew Gomon — RB, Zian Iseghohi — LB, Chris Kaleba — DB, Brendan McCausland — TE
• Denmark: Silas Floche — TE, Julius Lefevre — OL
• Finland: Aukusti Hugaerts — DB, Terho Vainio — LB, Oliver Lehtinen — OL
• France: Andrea Balay — LB, Matheo Sompa — LB, Hugo Moutou — LB
• Germany: Yasir Sani — LB, Dawens Albers — DB, Shaq Cisse — DB, Arved Mohr — QB, Jamil Secka — WR/DB, Oluwakemi Adeoshun — LB, Paul Krause — K/P, Sem Wohlgemuth — LB, Adeola Werner — OLB/TE, Hannes Schmidt — LB, Obinna Esiogu — DL, Benny Kubat — DL, Leo Schoske — DL
• Germany / Greece: Niko Kampas — OL
• Ivory Coast / France: Illias Tadjer — RB
• Japan: Alan Taniguchi — DB, Leon Donato — WR
• Mexico: Emiliano Albarran — LB, Diego Garcia — WR, Diego Tamez — QB, Armando Gamborino — WR/DB, Patricio Manzano — RB, Maximiliano Guerrero — OL, Matias Ortiz — OL, Leonardo Rois — RB/DB
• Nigeria: Victor Yakchan — DL, Augustine Irek — DL
• Norway: Tobias Gadeberg — DL
• Spain: Tom Gabarro — DB/WR
• Switzerland: Idriss Mougin — WR
• United Kingdom: Aston Peterkin — WR, Devon Myrie — TE/DB, Malachy McMahon — WR, Israel Adelanwa — DB, Max O’Grady — LB, Jude Morais-Trigg — WR, Lucas Yeo — RB/LS, Ashley Daniel — DB, Mubarak Olalekan — OLB, Hugo Short — TE, Alfie Galloway — OL, Exauce Muteba — DL, John Denbigh — OL, Tyrone Stolarcyzk — OL, Adam Ibironke — OL, Riley Watt — OL, Seb Delzoppo — WR, Ewan Kite — TE, LJ Chanakira — DL
• United Kingdom / New Zealand: Corey Pyke — DL
The NFL Academy’s development pathway continues to produce athletes who earn opportunities at the NCAA level. Among the graduates signed for the 2026-2027 season are:
• Bruno Werner, Germany — OL, Boston College Eagles
• Jonas Kanyanga, United Kingdom/DRC — DL, NAU Lumberjacks
• Luca Wolf, Austria/Philippines — TE, Tennessee Volunteers
• Luke Francis, United Kingdom — DL, Florida State Seminoles
• Moritz Strempel, Germany — OLB, UMass Minutemen
• Nikau Hepi, New Zealand — OL, Florida State Seminoles
• Matthew Okunade, United Kingdom/Zimbabwe — WR, Augustana University Vikings
• Meshach Arthur, United Kingdom/Italy/Ghana — OLB, Minot State Beavers
• Rafael Varona-Blakstad, United Kingdom/Cuba — WR, Mary Marauders
• Seb Harris, United Kingdom/Jamaica — WR, Mary Marauders
• Thayrancel Pinas, Netherlands/Suriname — WR, Mary Marauders
• Theo Andall, UK/Jamaica/Grenada — OL, Bowling Green State
• Johannes Mager, Germany — DL, Rocky Mountain College
• Vili Haapasalo, Finland — TE, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Joel Queisser, Germany/Angola/DRC — LB, Mississippi Valley State
The continued growth of the NFL Academy illustrates the program’s role as an international pipeline for American football talent. With athletes from 21 countries and a schedule spanning the United Kingdom, United States and Europe, the 2026-2027 season will provide another important stage for prospects hoping to earn college football opportunities and ultimately pursue careers in the NFL.
