Dublin’s Croke Park to host Ireland’s first regular season NFL game this year

Dublin’s Croke Park stadium is to host Ireland’s first regular season National Football League (NFL) game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were announced as the designated home team for the Dublin game.

The match is to be held at the end of September, according to Ireland’s sports and tourism minister.

“I’m honoured to confirm that in 2025 the NFL will play an historic, first-ever regular season game in Dublin, Ireland,” NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said on Friday.

“The first regular season game in Ireland will be played at the iconic, historic and magnificent Croke Park stadium, home to the Gaelic Athletic Association, the GAA, and host to many tremendous sporting events and moments over the years.

“The game will be delivered in partnership with the Irish Government.”

“We are very grateful for their partnership and support of this historic game,” he said, adding his thanks to Croke Park and the GAA too.

Mr O’Reilly said that there have been “passionate NFL fans in Ireland for a long time”, and a game on Irish soil presented “an opportunity to create an incredible atmosphere”.

He said a team from the NFL had spent “a lot of time” at Croke Park to work on how to transform the GAA stadium into an NFL venue, but said they would not yet share “any final plans for the design”.

Asked about the other team that will play in Dublin, Mr O’Reilly said: “The scheduling of the Steelers’ opponent will be done as part of our more traditional scheduling timeline this spring.

“So we can’t actually comment on specifics there, that said, my sense from early conversations is there are a lot of clubs who are interested in being part of this historic game.”

Daniel Rooney, director of business development and strategy at the Pittsburgh Steelers, said they are “excited and honoured” to play the NFL’s first regular season game in Ireland.

Mr Rooney, whose grandfather was a former US ambassador to Ireland, said the announcement “builds on our deep connections to the island and charts a path forward to what we feel is a very exciting future for the Steelers in Ireland”.

He said: “Growing up around my grandfather and my father, one of the lessons they have always taught us and taught us in the past, (was) our strong connection to Ireland and how meaningful the island is to our family.

“The Rooney family, hailing from Co Down, and my grandmother’s family, the Regans, hailing from Co Mayo, just a really special place in our hearts, and the fact that we can now bring the Pittsburgh Steelers there for a regular season game at the historic Croke Park, truthfully, a dream come true for our franchise.”

Mr Rooney said that two sold-out watch parties were held at Croke Park during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

“We’re really confident it’s going to be a smashing success,” Mr Rooney said.

Mr O’Reilly said there were “absolutely” plans to broadcast the game and said he would be looking into “the optimal media distribution for this game”.

“I think there will be a tonne of interest in ensuring it’s as wide reaching as possible, not just in Ireland but more broadly.”

Ireland’s Tourism and Sport Minister Patrick O’Donovan said the announcement represented “a major vote of confidence” in the country’s ability to host world class events.

“Hosting a regular season NFL game in 2025 will have huge benefits for Irish tourism, the wider economy, and our sports ecosystem,” he said.

“It will also build upon the deep cultural, family and economic ties between Ireland and the United States.”