NFL Big Data Bowl: London
Join AWS and the NFL for the London edition of the NFL Big Data Bowl regional events - the NFL's premier sports analytics competition powered by AWS that challenges participants to use Next Gen Stats data to create innovative insights about football. This event at UCL's BaseKX on October 9th, 2026 brings together 100+ students from London-area universities to compete using real NFL player tracking data.
Note: By registering for and participating in this event, you grant the organizers, event partners (including Amazon Web Services and the National Football League), and their affiliates the irrevocable right to capture, record, broadcast, and publish your voice, image, likeness, and event submissions (including code, presentations, and demo footage) across all digital, print, and broadcast media for marketing, promotional, and educational purposes worldwide without royalty or compensation.
Event Format:
Check-in & Breakfast: Arrive at BaseKX at 9:00 AM. Network with fellow participants and AWS/NFL staff.
Opening Remarks (9:30 AM): Competition directions and introduction to the challenge from AWS and NFL Data Analytics leaders.
Challenge (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM): Work on your data storytelling submission using real NFL Next Gen Stats tracking data with hands-on support from AWS technical experts. Use Python and Kiro (AI-powered IDE) to discover insights about NFL skill-position players (WR/TE/RB).
Lunch & Judging (1:00 PM): Submissions close at 1:00 PM sharp. Enjoy lunch while NFL and AWS judges evaluate your work.
Awards Ceremony (2:00 PM): Celebration of the top submissions with immediate prizes including NFL game tickets to the Philadelphia Eagles vs Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Event Highlights:
Real NFL Data: Analyze authentic Next Gen Stats player tracking data - the same data used to powers the NFL
Expert Support: Work alongside AWS specialists and NFL analytics staff during the competition
Global Competition: This event is your way to prepare for the the broader NFL Big Data Bowl (hosted separately)
Who Should Attend:
University students passionate about sports analytics, data science, AI/ML, and technology innovation. Teams of 1-3 are welcome. No prior football knowledge required but the best teams often pair "data enthusiasts" with "football enthusiasts".
This event is hosted at University College London (UCL) and is open to students from all UK universities. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage early registration.
Event Details:
Date: Friday, October 9, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM ET
Location: Basekx, 103c Camley St, London N1C 4PF
Capacity: 130 attendees
Judged On:
Submissions are evaluated across four dimensions: Football Insight, Technical Execution, Communication, and Originality. Full rubric provided at event start.
Awards:
Top finishers will earn tickets to the Sunday Football Eagles/Jaguars game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Don't miss this opportunity to work with real NFL data, network with industry leaders, and potentially shape the future of sports analytics!
Rules:
Code of Conduct. All participants agree to keep this a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for everyone.
Eligibility. This event is open to registered participants only. You must have received an invitation and completed the RSVP process to participate. Organizers, volunteers, judges, sponsors, or anyone in a privileged position at the event may not participate as a competitor.
Team Composition. Teams of up to 3 members are permitted. All team members must be present at the event and actively contribute to the project. Solo participation is also allowed.
All work must be done on-site. All coding, analysis, and visualization work must be completed during the 3-hour competition window (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM). You may not use pre-built code, notebooks, or project materials created before the event.
Ideas are fair game. You may come in with an idea or hypothesis you'd like to explore - that's encouraged. However, no code, visualizations, or written analysis may be prepared in advance.
Dataset. You must use the provided dataset. You may also incorporate external datasets, provided they are publicly available. The dataset and challenge prompt will be distributed at the start of the
Submission Format. Each team must submit a public repository with:
Working code
A README (3-5 sentences) describing your insight/work
Your visualization or metric/score tool output
Open-Source Libraries Allowed. Teams may use any publicly available libraries, frameworks, or packages. Pre-building a library specifically for this event and open-sourcing it is not permitted.
Originality. Your submission must represent original work produced at this event. Submitting work from a prior project, class assignment, or previous competition is not allowed.
Disqualification. Teams may be disqualified at the organizers' discretion for violating these rules, the Code of Conduct, or engaging in unsporting behavior.