A Haringey-based American football club is poised to defend its national championship this weekend, with the London Blitz Under-19 side taking on top-seeded Nottingham Caesars in the British American Football Association (BAFA) Division One final on Saturday, 5 September 2026.
The match will be held at the Nick Newbold Stadium in Coventry, kicking off at noon, and will be streamed live on YouTube for supporters across the country. It represents the 11th time in 14 years that the Finsbury Park-based club’s youth side has contested a national championship final — a record of sustained excellence rarely matched in any junior sport in England.
A Rematch With High Stakes
Saturday’s showdown is a rematch of the 2023 BritBowl Championship final, in which the London Blitz were also involved, making the contest all the more compelling for fans of domestic American football. The Nottingham Caesars earned the top seeding this season following a strong campaign, and head coach Jason Henry has acknowledged the challenge his side faces.
“Reaching the national final is always a credit to the discipline and commitment our young athletes show from winter workouts through the summer,” Henry said. “The Nottingham Caesars have had an outstanding season and earned the top seed, so we know the standard of football required on Saturday.”
The reigning champions head into the fixture in confident form. Since 2011, the London Blitz U19s have lost just five games across all competitions — a remarkable run of dominance that has made them one of the most successful youth American football programmes in British history.
More Than a Football Club
While the on-field record is impressive, the London Blitz emphasise that competitive success is only part of their mission. The club, which fields both senior and youth teams representing Haringey and north London, places education and personal development at the heart of its programme.
More than 95 per cent of players who spend two or more years with the club go on to university, and the 2026 squad has already seen eight teenagers secure placements at American high schools, prep academies and colleges ahead of the new academic year — a pipeline that speaks to the club’s growing transatlantic reputation.
Henry was keen to stress that perspective ahead of Saturday’s final. “At the London Blitz, championships are a by-product of our core purpose,” he said. “We measure our real success in mentorship, building character and opening doors for these young people. Whether seeing our players earn opportunities on US prep schools and colleges or watching them graduate from university here at home, using football as a vehicle for personal growth is what drives this club.”
American Football’s Growing Footprint in Britain
The London Blitz’s achievements come against the backdrop of a broader surge in interest in American football across the United Kingdom. The NFL has staged regular-season games at Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for over a decade, helping to grow a domestic fanbase and inspire participation at grassroots and junior level. BAFA oversees the sport’s domestic pyramid, from community clubs through to elite competition, and the Division One youth championship sits among its most prestigious honours.
For a club based in Haringey — one of north London’s most diverse boroughs — the London Blitz’s model of combining elite sport with educational aspiration reflects an increasingly recognised approach to community development through athletics. The club’s ability to attract young talent and channel it towards further education and international opportunities makes it a distinctive institution within British sport.
Saturday’s final at Coventry’s Nick Newbold Stadium will be streamed live on YouTube from 12 noon, giving fans across the UK the chance to watch the Blitz bid for their 11th national crown.
