Twickenham Stadium© Clive Gee/PA Wire/Press Association Images

The NFL and the Rugby Football Union have struck a deal that will see three regular-season games played at Twickenham over a three-year period starting in October 2016.

The deal also includes an option for a further two additional games over the same period with Twickenham following Wembley's lead in housing the NFL.

"We are committed to continuing to grow our sport in the UK and believe that adding Twickenham Stadium to our roster of host venues in London is further evidence of that commitment," Mark Waller, NFL executive vice president of international, said. "We are very excited to give our fans the opportunity to enjoy NFL action at another world-class venue famous for attracting loyal and passionate fans from across the globe."

The NFL has a similar deal in place with Wembley Stadium with a minimum of two games a season to be played there until 2020. The NFL will also journey to Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium from 2018.

For Twickenham, it is a ground-breaking announcement. The traditional home of English rugby has played host to concerts and rugby league in the past but never NFL.

"We are delighted to welcome the NFL to Twickenham, a stadium that has played such an integral role in what has been the biggest Rugby World Cup ever." said the RFU's chief commercial and marketing officer Sophie Goldschmidt. "The NFL has a strong and growing fan base in the UK, and this, combined with the investments we've made in our stadium will give fans more opportunities to experience the action first-hand at a world-class venue.

"We look forward to working with the NFL on this partnership."

Wembley housed its 14th NFL game last Sunday with the Kansas City Chiefs comfortably beating the Detroit Lions 45-10 in front of 83,624 spectators.