Cirque du Soleil is joining forces with the National Football League.

The circus will create an interactive exhibit and theatre in Manhattan's Times Square that will recreate what it's like to be at an NFL game.

New York is already home to two NFL teams, the Giants and the Jets, although both teams play at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

It's believed the NFL is trying to broaden its audience after years of bad publicity over concussions, violence, and assorted criminal behaviour by NFL players.

The four-storey building will include a 350-seat theatre and several multimedia shows.

The $40 million dollar project opens in November 2017, and investors hope it will attract one million visitors per year.