Some facts about the NFL International Series and Sunday's game between the Vikings and Pittsburgh:

• The NFL began the series in 2007 at Wembley Stadium in London. The New York Giants beat Miami 13-10 in the inaugural game. The series has included one game per year until this season; Jacksonville and San Francisco also will play at Wembley on Oct. 27.

• The Vikings defeated St. Louis 28-10 in a preseason game at Wembley Stadium in 1983, the first American football game played in that soccer temple.

• The game will be the Vikings' fifth international contest, and they are undefeated in their previous four. In addition to the 1983 preseason win, they have victories over Chicago (28-21 in Goteburg, Sweden, in 1984); Buffalo (20-6, Berlin, 1993) and Kansas City (17-9, Tokyo, 1994).

• The national anthem will be sung by Gene Simmons of the band KISS.

RACHEL BLOUNT