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NFL Dublin Game 2025.

  • 07-02-2025 03:35PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,355 ✭✭✭✭


    https://www.nfl.com/news/historic-first-regular-season-nfl-game-ireland-dublin-2025-steelers-designated-team

    The National Football League will play its first-ever regular-season game in Dublin, Ireland in 2025 as the league continues to expand its global footprint and take the game to new audiences around the world.

    The 2025 NFL Dublin game will take place at Croke Park -- the largest sporting arena in Ireland and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) -- in partnership with the Government of Ireland and Dublin City Council (Dublin City).

    The Pittsburgh Steelers will play as the designated team for the historic first game. Steelers president Art Rooney II and his family have a rich history and deep connection with the Island of Ireland, having family from Newry, County Down. The late Dan M. Rooney, Art Rooney's father, served as U.S. ambassador to Ireland from 2009-2012 and was a co-founder of the Ireland Funds charity.

    The Steelers are also one of only two NFL teams to have played a game in Ireland to date, a preseason matchup in 1997 against the Chicago Bears at Croke Park as part of the American Bowl series.

    "We are delighted to officially bring a regular-season NFL game to Ireland as part of our 2025 International Games slate," said executive vice president of international, league events and club business at the NFL Peter O'Reilly. "Both the NFL and the Steelers franchise have deep roots and history in Ireland, and we're looking forward to making our regular-season debut in Dublin, bringing our game to a large and passionate Irish fan base and underlining the NFL's commitment to global growth."

    "We are very excited to be the designated team in the first regular-season game to be played in Ireland this upcoming season," said Steelers president Art Rooney II. "The opportunity for the Pittsburgh Steelers to play in Ireland is truly special, not only because of the Rooney family history there, but also to play in front of the growing number of Steelers fans in Ireland. We are thrilled to be part of this historic event to represent Pittsburgh in a game that brings the NFL to the great sports fans in Ireland."

    "This is a major vote of confidence in Ireland's ability to host world class events and in Dublin's reputation as one of the most welcoming cities in the world," said Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport Patrick O'Donovan TD. "Hosting a regular-season NFL game in 2025 will have huge benefits for Irish tourism, the wider economy and our sports ecosystem. It will also build upon the deep cultural, family and economic ties between Ireland and the United States. I look forward to welcoming thousands of American football fans from the U.S., Europe and further afield to our shores for this historic game, and also to the ongoing collaboration with the NFL, Sport Ireland and American Football Ireland to grow American football participation in Ireland, both the tackle and flag format of the game, as part of the government's commitment to increasing the number of people regularly participating in sport and physical activity.Croke Park has played host to many iconic sporting moments. It is the home of the GAA and hosts the Gaelic football and hurling All-Ireland finals every year, in 2003 it held the Special Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies and in 1996 it held the college football game between Notre Dame and the Navy. In addition to its sporting heritage, the venue has welcomed global music icons including U2, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay and Taylor Swift.

    "We are absolutely delighted to welcome the NFL and the Pittsburgh Steelers to Croke Park," said GAA president Jarlath Burns. "This event will not only highlight our stadium's world-class facilities but also reinforce the connections and love of sport shared between our communities.

    Croke Park is a proud symbol of Ireland's rich sporting heritage, and hosting one of the world's best sporting organizations is a momentous occasion for the entire country. It will be a special and unique event, celebrating the passion uniting two great sporting codes in the heart of Dublin."

    The full matchup including opposition, date and kickoff time will be announced when the 2025 NFL schedule is revealed this spring. Fans can register for information around the 2025 NFL Dublin game here: www.nfl.com/dublin.

    In addition to the NFL International Games, the league is committed to growing the game at every level on the Island of Ireland, engaging with fans year-round through partners, programs and initiatives.

    The NFL's Global Market Program (GMP), which awards teams marketing rights in international markets to grow fandom, commercial opportunities and brand awareness, sees three teams active in the Irish market -- the Steelers, the New York Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

    The league's official youth flag football program, NFL Flag, was launched in Ireland in 2024 in partnership with American Football Ireland (AFI). In the first-ever NFL Flag National Championships, Green Lanes School from Dublin were crowned champions and traveled to the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games in Orlando, Florida last week to represent Ireland in the International Championships, showcasing the league's efforts to increase participation and inspire the next generation

    Beginning in 2025, the NFL can schedule up to eight league-operated regular-season games internationally. The NFL will play two regular-season games in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium -- the only purpose-built NFL stadium outside of the U.S. -- featuring the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns as designated teams.

    The Jacksonville Jaguars will also return to Wembley Stadium in London to operate a home game, their 14th in the city, as part of their multiyear commitment to playing a game in the U.K.

    The league will also host one game in Berlin, Germany at the Olympic Stadium Berlin, with the Indianapolis Colts as the designated team, and one game in Madrid, Spain at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium -- home to Real Madrid C.F. -- featuring the Miami Dolphins.

    This week at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, the NFL also announced its first regular-season game for the 2026 season, in Melbourne, Australia. The Los Angeles Rams will be designated team for this historic game at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

    Fifty-five regular-season NFL games have been played around the world throughout the league's history, with London, Munich, Frankfurt, São Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto all hosting games to date.

    The Steelers have previously played in one regular-season game internationally in London in 2013, at Wembley Stadium.

    Let's fcking go.



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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,513 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Id say it's between Seattle, Minnesota and Green Bay as the opponent and the cheapest tickets will be €120, and very hard to find



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,793 ✭✭✭Benimar


    Let the ticket hunting commence! Going to be like gold dust!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 111 ✭✭CylonXIII


    Hyped about this now, hope is Packers over with them but don't care who it is as long as I can get tickets, will be like goldust!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,069 ✭✭✭bop1977


    I hope they look after people who went to the watch parties with tickets.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,212 ✭✭✭✭cena


    any set date for tickets



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭Ohmeha


    No there is no date yet for tickets, NFL fixtures season are usually released in mid-May so they cannot sell tickets until date/opponents/schedules are finalised for the entire league. Tottenham/German games tickets depending on ticket type have gone on sale on separate dates over June so I would be expecting it will be a June date aswell for the Dublin game. Jags at Wembley ticket sales have been earlier straight off the fixtures release in May but they handle their sales separately than Tottenham. NFL has been staggering ticket sales for each venue of these International Games on separate dates which is not fan friendly in order to generate increased attempts of purchase activities for each venue



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,513 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Audio piece here from The Irish Times.

    It's interesting enough but lapses into typical Irish Times mode when they talk about owners being donors to the Republican party.

    But it does ask the question what is the need for the €10m from the government and Dublin City Council.

    They say the government may be underestimating the value to the city/country of the game being only €60m when PWC put the value of the ND v Navy game at €180m.

    I think that can be explained by the fact that the college game attracts a much bigger American alumni crowd than the NFL game will.

    That college football alumni crowd are also wealthy and will spend a lot of money elsewhere in Ireland, not just in Dublin for the game.

    Dave Hannigan is correct when he says that the majority of fans at this game will be Irish, British and European American football fans and there will be relatively few coming from the likes of Pittsburgh.

    So if they are estimating 30,000 fans from abroad, most will be from the UK and Europe and will be in and out over the weekend.

    Where as there was at least 25,000 Florida State fans alone at the game in August. And many of them also went to Galway, Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry etc.

    So I'd full understand why a college game, and especially one featuring ND would be of more value than a NFL game.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 910 ✭✭✭csirl


    I think the journalist is getting things mixed up. Doesnt understand the financial structure of the NFL games. The €10m isnt cash or an "appearance fee" ala the fees paid to the college teams to play in Aviva. It's an underwriting guarantee to insure the NFL against the cancellation due to unforseen events in Ireland. NfL asks for a government underwriting guarantee for all its overseas games. Very unlikely ever to be paid.

    BTW the economic benefits of the ciollege games are overstated. Based on grossing up the 100m figure first quoted for the 2011 ND v Navy game, which was pluckef out of the air by an on the spot PR exec. The governments own economic benefit study put it at 18m net benefit (was released under FOI).



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,513 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Totally agree that a lot of those "economic impact of z,y, z" figures are over blown.

    You see it on steroids by people advocating for big sports events like the soccer WC, Euros, RWC etc

    With theses NFL\NCAA and with Euro 2028 games in Dublin the outlay from the public purse is relatively small, the stadiums are already there and ready, the other infrastructure is there, the city is familiar with hosting big sports events.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 201 ✭✭HanShotFirst


    Interesting.

    Is there a link to the explainer of the €10m.

    Totally agree about these "economic benefit" amounts. All PR.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 879 ✭✭✭pedatron


    Any update on this?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,734 ✭✭✭thebiglad


    What update are you looking for? If its tickets there is a link in the thread to register your interest when they go on sale later in the year, if its the cost of staging it, then the media has moved on - may come back to life when we get nearer to the event. Its all about the NGI Printer this week :-)

    Post edited by thebiglad on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,933 ✭✭✭✭Penn


    Think it'll be a while yet; the NFL schedule for 2025 hasn't been announced yet so I don't think they can sell tickets without knowing what teams are going to be playing. Think it could be mid-May.

    As thebiglad said though, best thing is to register your interest in the link earlier on the thread so you'll be notified of when tickets are due to go on sale.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 879 ✭✭✭pedatron


    Thanks, lads. I thought the visiting team would be announced soon after the Steelers were. The London games haven't been announced either to be fair.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 910 ✭✭✭csirl


    I hear there are still a number of teams in the mix as the Steelers opponents. Dublin is a popular destination among the owners.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭Ohmeha


    I can only see the opponents narrowed down to one of Packers, Vikings or Seahawks, Packers have already been strongly rumoured. I would be shocked if the Steelers gave up a home game against Ravens, Bengals or Bills and then you have Browns, Colts, Dolphins already scheduled for European International home games highly unlikely any of them would take another flight around Europe for a 2nd consecutive International game

    Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Bills, Packers, Colts, Dolphins, Vikings, Seahawks

    https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-2025-opponents-determined

    Post edited by Ohmeha on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 910 ✭✭✭csirl


    This game has been brought forward a year. One of the options that was being considered for 2026 was the Patriots doing a 2 game road trip - Steelers game in Dublin coupled with a Patriots "home game" in Tel Aviv (note the Kraft family sponsors the Israeli American football federatiion). Proposal was abandoned for obvious reasons.

    I wouldnt rule out any of the teams playing another European game for now.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,120 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    This was always rumored as PIT vs GB and I'd be shocked if it were anyone else.

    Just waiting for tickets to go on sale now.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,513 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Why would Green Bay be the favorite though?

    Seattle havenot played an international game since 2022.

    Both Green Bay and Minnesota were in international games last year.

    How much of the selection of the fixture is owned by the NFL and how much by the Steelers and their potential opponents?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,120 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    I don't know the answers to most of those questions, just that from the first murmurings of this happening, it was a PIT GB game.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 910 ✭✭✭csirl


    For this particular fixture, its largely down to the owners - with the obvious restriction that the fixture has to be one thats already on the regular season schedule.

    What counts against GB is the perception that right now they are a better team than the Steelers. The "host" team wants to win this game.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,513 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    I'd argue that all three of Green Bay, Minnesota and Seattle are better than the Steelers right now.

    All other things being equal, Green Bay would be a bigger draw than the other two, but you don't need a bigger draw to sell tickets in this situation because they will sell out anyway.

    You could sell this out with the Steelers playing the Titans practice squad.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭Ohmeha


    It's not entirely unusual in the history of International games for teams to give up home games against strong opponents or divisional rivals so I don't see that ruling out the Packers, sure the Eagles just last season gave up their home game in Brazil against the Packers



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 910 ✭✭✭csirl


    With most of the other games, the NFL waa the drivng force and asked or scheduled teams. The Dublin game is a little different - very much a Steelers initiative.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭Ohmeha


    Aaron Rodgers has visited the Steelers facility today, of course it could turn out that nothing will happen but if he did sign for the Steelers it will surely nix any potential game in Dublin against the Packers it would be a home game they could not give up and a sure fire Sunday Night Football selection



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,513 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    That's a good point.

    I think he left the building without an agreement though.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,184 ✭✭✭rednik


    Schedule will be released on May 14th.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,295 ✭✭✭theoneeyedman


    See online details to be confirmed on Tuesday next.

    Heard from a cousin living in Buffalo a while back that the Bills are the opposition, rather than the Packers as was originally suggested. Might be BS I dunno, hopefully it's GB from my point of view, but either way…



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40,710 ✭✭✭✭PTH2009


    Out of interest would where would the 2 teams train while here in Ireland

    I presume they'll be here a few days prior to the game

    Id imagine temporary arrangements would need to be installed into sporting complexes etc



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭Ohmeha


    There seems to be increasing steam behind chatter online that it may be the Vikings as Steelers opponents on September 28th at Croke Park with the Vikings also playing the Browns at Tottenham the following weekend on October 5th

    Rumoured Dublin/London matchups below:

    Sunday September 28th: Vikings @ Steelers at Croke Park

    Sunday October 5th: Vikings @ Browns at Tottenham

    Sunday October 12th: Broncos @ Jets at Tottenham

    Sunday October 19th: Rams @ Jaguars at Wembley

    https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/more-rumors-tie-vikings-to-international-games-in-back-to-back-weeks



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