St James' Park turns Green for an evening

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 8, 2026

Over 400 Green Bay Packers fans gathered at Shearer’s Bar in Newcastle’s St James’ Park for a “Packers huddle” event celebrating the growing partnership between the NFL team and Newcastle United. The event highlighted the potential for deeper collaboration, including hosting NFL games in Newcastle, as the city explores expanding its stadium to accommodate American football.

More than 400 fans of the Green Bay Packers gathered at Shearer’s Bar within Newcastle United’s St James’ Park stadium last Thursday for a special “Packers huddle” event, transforming the venue’s usual black-and-white ambiance into a sea of green and gold. The gathering marked a collaboration between the NFL franchise and Newcastle United, reflecting the growing connection between the two clubs following an unofficial partnership initiated by the Premier League and the NFL earlier this year.

The choice of Newcastle as a host city was no coincidence. The relationship began after two Newcastle fans, Anth and Sarah Nicholson, participated in a fan exchange program that took them to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where they experienced the Packers' rich history and witnessed a key matchup against the Chicago Bears—a rivalry often likened to Newcastle’s own historic clashes with Sunderland. This cultural exchange helped strengthen the bond between the clubs, a link further symbolized by Packers’ Irish punter Daniel Whelan, who was recently spotted touring St James’ Park alongside his Newcastle-supporting father.

Thursday’s event also featured a video message from Packers wide receiver Christian Watson, and a Q&A session with 1996 Super Bowl champion and franchise legend Antonio Freeman. Freeman drew parallels between the atmosphere inside Shearer’s Bar and pre-game tailgate parties at Lambeau Field, the Packers’ 81,000-seat home stadium. He led fans in the franchise’s iconic chant “Go Pack Go,” modifying it to “Howay the Pack” in homage to Newcastle. Freeman, whose son Alex plays professional football in Spain and for the U.S. national team, spent the day capturing photographs of St James’ Park to share with his family.

Former Newcastle striker and club corporate affairs head Shola Ameobi also addressed the crowd, reflecting on his longstanding enthusiasm for the NFL, which began during his time undergoing treatment in Denver 23 years ago. Ameobi highlighted the shared passion of Newcastle and Packers supporters and indicated his commitment to advancing Newcastle United’s ambitions of becoming one of the world’s premier football clubs. He hinted at the possibility of bringing NFL games to the city, a goal that may hinge on the club’s future stadium plans.

Currently, the NFL’s 2026 London games are underway, with the Indianapolis Colts defeating the Washington Commanders 30-13 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. Upcoming fixtures will see the Jacksonville Jaguars face the Philadelphia Eagles, followed by the Houston Texans taking on the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. The commercial success Spurs have demonstrated through hosting NFL matches underscores the potential benefits for Newcastle, should the club eventually pursue a new stadium capable of accommodating American football.

The event revealed strong local enthusiasm for further NFL engagement in Newcastle. With a unique fan-owned identity and one of the most storied histories in American football, the Packers appear well-positioned to serve as a natural partner for the city’s ambitions, linking two proud sporting communities on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.