St. Thomas Aquinas High School, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will travel to London to compete against the NFL Academy on Wednesday, Oct. 8, through the National Football League and Nike partnership.
"The NFL Academy game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has quickly become one of the most unique and inspiring showcases in our global football calendar" said Roman Oben, NFL Vice President of Football Development. "Bringing together one of the premier high school football programs in the United States with the Academy's talented international roster goes beyond competition; it's a cultural exchange that highlights how the game of football continues to grow worldwide. We are proud to work with Nike to provide these student-athletes with opportunities that extend far beyond the field."
It marks the third consecutive year that Nike and the NFL have sponsored a U.S. based high school to play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The NFL Academy won the inaugural matchup in 2023, defeating Erasmus Hall (New York), while the Academy fell to De La Salle (California) last season.
The NFL Academy, supporting 68 individuals from 20 different countries on its roster, is the NFL's elite player development program and supports talented student athletes from across the world. Based at Loughborough's world-renowned center of sporting excellence in the U.K., and in partnership with Loughborough College and Loughborough University, the program promotes world-class performance and the development of elite player pathways, supporting student-athletes with NFL best practices and resources.
During their trip overseas, the St. Thomas Aquinas football team and staff will spend time visiting and learning about cultural landmarks in London, hosting a football clinic at Lift Aylward Academy and attend the Week 5 Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium prior to facing the NFL Academy on Wednesday. More than 60 St. Thomas Aquinas student-athletes will serve as ambassadors by exchanging culture and knowledge of football with NFL Academy student-athletes from several international markets.
St. Thomas Aquinas has won three national and 16 state championships, including six consecutive state titles from 2019 to 2024. The football program has produced at least one Division I signee every year since 1978 and notable NFL alumni include Geno Atkins, Nik Bonitto, Joey and Nick Bosa, Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, Josh Palmer and James White.
