Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - If there wasn't enough excitement emanating from Buffalo Bills fans across the pond ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars, a statement 48-20 win over their AFC East rival Miami Dolphins may amplify that excitement quite a bit more.
Several months after the NFL announced the Bills were set to return to London to play a football game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, members of "Bills Mafia" in England are excited and ready to host fellow Bills fans making the trek.
"We can't wait. We've got a full slate of events over the weekend, and we're so ready to kick it off," said Brigid Evans, President of the London Bills Backers group based out of Fitzrovia Belle, a pub on Tottenham Court Road.
Evans, originally a native of South Buffalo, moved to London more than four years ago, and was looking for a spot to watch her favorite football team growing up while living overseas. That's where a group on X, formerly known as Twitter, called "The UK Bills" (@UK_Bills) helped set up a spot for Evans and other Bills fans in London to call home come game days in the United States.
"We meet every Sunday for the 1 o'clock and 4 o'clock starts on the East coast at the Fitzrovia Belle," Evans said of the origin of the London Bills Backers. "We've been there for the last three years, and when we first started, there were only about 10-15 of us that went regularly. This Sunday, we had over 100 people, but I think that's because a lot of folks were in from out-of-town early. But we usually have around 50 folks that show up now to watch the game."
Evans says the popularity surrounding the Bills in London seems to grow year-over-year. She fully expects there to be a lot more Bills fans in the crowd come Sunday when the team will "play host" to the Jaguars.
The last time the Bills played in London was back in 2015 against the Jaguars in a game at Wembley Stadium, about 30 minutes across town from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Despite an impressive comeback from down 27-3 in the second quarter, the Bills could not hold off the Jaguars from a late go-ahead touchdown in a 34-31 loss.
While Evans was not in London for that 2015 game, she knows, having gone to other games, that people in England are just rabid for the NFL.
"Doesn't matter sort of who comes over, they're just excited they get to see a game, which is why you see so many different jerseys, and people rooting whether it's for the underdog or if they're really excited to see Josh Allen, you'll see people figuring out who it is they want to root for and who has the most fans in the crowd," Evans said.
Perhaps what makes this trip to London special for many Bills fans is for a potential glimpse into the future when it comes to the facility they will play Sunday's contest in.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was officially opened in April of 2019, with construction of the 62,850-seat stadium beginning in 2016. The stadium was designed by the architectural and design company Populous, and is seen as one of the premier football stadiums in the world.
Earlier this year, the Bills broke ground on a new stadium in Orchard Park that's set to be completed in time for kickoff of the 2026 season. As it turns out, Populous is the same company designing the Bills' new state-of-the-art football stadium, which is expected to feature a similar layout and seating capacity to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in England.
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Evans feels Bills fans should be excited for what the experience they're about to witness when they step into Tottenham Hotspur Stadium come Sunday.
"It's a beautiful stadium, it's really well laid out," she said. "It's easy to get into and to get out of. There's lots of food, lots of drink stations. It runs really smoothly, and the facilities are just really beautiful."
When it comes to the weekly life of the London Bills Backers during the NFL season, Evans feels the atmosphere generated at Fitzrovia Belle is one that provides a little slice of home.
"There's a core group of us who've been doing it for the last three years, and every Sunday really does feel like home," Evans said. "When you're on holiday, if you're in London and there's a game, please stop by. We're always open to welcoming new fans coming in. If you live in London and you didn't know we exist, hopefully you'll come and find us. It's a good crowd, it's a very Buffalo crowd. It really does just feel like a bit of home."
As for what's in the cards for the weekend in London, Evans says there's plenty of fun events scheduled for Bills fans and other NFL fans alike.
"There are a bunch of different events going on. The NFL is putting on an event at Battersea Park on Saturday, the London Bills Backers are putting on events on this Friday, this Saturday and this Sunday, so even folks who weren't able to get a ticket can come on down to the Fitzrovia Belle and watch the game with other Bills fans who weren't able to get tickets," Evans detailed. "But we're excited! It's a jam-packed weekend, and we fully expect to see a ton of 'Bills Mafia', and to bring Buffalo to London."
As for some tips or last-minute advice for Bills fans making the trip to London, Evans says come prepared to pay cashless, and have fun exploring the city.
"Make sure you have a card with you. Almost everywhere it's contactless payment," she said. "And then don't be afraid to explore. London's a great and very safe city, and it's an easy city to walk around. So really spend some time and get to see all those sites."