The St Louis Rams will relocate to Los Angeles following a vote of NFL owners.
The Rams had been vying with the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders for the chance to move to LA.
The Chargers could still join the Rams in the city, which has been without an NFL franchise for 21 years, but the Raiders face an uncertain future.
Rams owner Stan Kroenke called it a "bitter sweet" moment and said it had been the "most difficult process of my professional career".
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called relocation a "painful process" after owners voted 30-2 in favour of the Rams, who must pay the NFL a £311m ($550m) relocation fee.
The move has angered Rams fans and Missouri governor Jay Nixon.
He said the move set "a terrible precedent" not only for St Louis but for all communities that have "loyally supported" NFL franchises.
Nixon added that there would be a thorough review of the NFL's decision before determining what next steps to take.
The distance from St Louis to LA is around 1,800 miles, which is a car drive of around 27 hours or a flight of around three-and-a-half hours.
The Rams have played in LA before, first moving there from Cleveland in 1946. They left for Anaheim in 1980, before moving to St Louis in 1995.
They are the only franchise to claim three NFL championships in three different cities, winning Super Bowl XXXIV in the 1999 season.
The Rams will play their home games at the LA Coliseum until their £1.29bn ($1.86bn) stadium in Inglewood is complete.
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