Channel 4 is to become the new terrestrial television home of the NFL and Super Bowl as part of a new two-year deal with the National Football League.

The deal sees Channel 4 become the NFL’s exclusive free-to-air TV partner in the UK.

Channel 4 will also feature live coverage of the NFL’s annual games at Wembley Stadium – beginning with the two games scheduled in 2013 – and the Superbowl, previously shown by the BBC.

Channel 4 will air:

Super Bowl live: The 2013/4 Super Bowl XLVIII will be played in New York/New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday February 2.

NFL International Series games live: The NFL will stage two games at Wembley in 2013: Pittsburgh Steelers at Minnesota Vikings (September 29) and San Francisco 49ers at Jacksonville Jaguars (October 27).

Sunday Night Football live: The NFL’s biggest game of the week, which has been aired on Channel 4 over the past three seasons, kicking off at 1:30 a.m. The new season begins on Sunday September 8.

Channel 4 was the first UK station to feature regular NFL coverage when it began its ‘American Football’ programme after its launch in November 1982. The station’s coverage evolved into a mix of live games, highlights and magazines shows and continued until January 1998.

Channel 4’s NFL coverage will kick off on Sunday September 8 with a traditional NFC East division rivalry as the Dallas Cowboys host the New York Giants. The London-bound 49ers, Super Bowl runners-up last season, feature in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Sky Sports will continue to broadcast the Thursday night game, and the two Sunday afternoon/evening games, as well as the Super Bowl.