Moving an NFL franchise to London would be "the right thing to do" within the next decade, according to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

With the Patriots facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley on Sunday, all the talk in the build-up has been about where the NFL's London strategy might ultimately lead.

This will be the third regular-season game played here in consecutive years, and plans are in the works for many more.

Increasingly attention is now turning to the possibility of a team moving here on a permanent basis.

"I think it should happen," Kraft said.

"I would be the right thing to do some time in the next decade to have a franchise here.

"We've had great success both here and in Germany and I look forward to seeing if that happens."

Talk of such a move seems to be gaining momentum, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also raising the possibility today.

"If the interest continues to grow, it's a very practical way to go to have a franchise here," he said.

"We were worried when we first came here that it would be a novelty, but we've seen the interest grow."

In order for London to prove itself worthy of a team, games such as Sunday's will have to continue to draw a crowd, and prove effective in boosting television ratings and merchandise sales.

The signs are all positive so far, but the NFL will not make the move lightly.

"The issue is continuing to go down this path of multiple games in the market," Goodell added.

"If you've brought more than one game here and you continue to have the same enthusiasm that is about as good an indicator as you could get that it could successfully support a franchise."

That is likely to mean the NFL will play two games per season in the UK - most likely both in London but possibly with the second further north - as early as next year.

But not even that is set in stone yet, as Goodell must have the numbers to persuade his owners - some of whom have to give up lucrative home games to make the international series possible - that it is worth the cost.

He added: "I think we want to get through this game and make an evaluation of that but all the indicators show that this market can support one game and more, so some time in the next couple of years I think we will be playing multiple games here."

Indeed, Kraft, while eager to see a London franchise one day, admitted he would be less keen on giving up a home game come the time the Patriots might be asked to do it.

Tampa Bay are officially listed as the home team on Sunday, with the Glazer family - also owners of Manchester United - signing off on the plan.

That may mean seasons of multiple games in London - and any London franchise they might lead to - could need to wait for the NFL to push through plans to expand its own regular season, creating more games and lessening the blow of giving one up.

"I think if we expand our regular playing season and create more games, going from 16 to 18 games, it's a real possibility," Kraft said.

"Right now the Tampa Bay team has given up an away game to come here. I'm not sure our fans would appreciate us giving up a regular-season game. I know our fans wouldn't like us to do that."