Marietta Football kicks off season across the pond to play against NFL Academy

MARIETTA, Ga. – The Marietta High School Blue Devils depart Friday, August 14, for a week-long trip to England combining elite training, academics, cultural immersion, and community service — and closing with the only international regular season football game between a Georgia High School Association member school and the NFL Academy. 

The team will train at the Elite Athlete Centre at Loughborough University, work out in the renowned Powerbase weight room, hold daily study halls, explore London, and complete a service project with Samaritan's Purse UK, packing gifts and relief kits for children and communities facing hardship around the world. 

The game will be livestreamed on the NFL UK & Ireland YouTube channel on Thursday, August 20, at 1:00 p.m. EST. ​​​​​​That evening, Marietta will watch together. The City of Marietta, Marietta City Schools, and Marietta Melt Yard will host a free community watch party — the Special. Different. British. Watch Party — from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Melt Yard, replaying the game in full on the big screen.

Follow our social media for daily photos and video from the trip. The team returns home Friday, Aug. 21.