SPORTS MINISTER PATRICK O’Donovan today revealed the government are hoping to secure a return for the NFL to Ireland in 2027 and 2028. 

Speaking at today’s launch of the government’s new framework for international diplomacy through sport, O’Donovan hailed the economic returns of the 2025 Croke Park fixture between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings held at Croke Park, and said that Ireland did not bid for a return game in 2026. 

The Irish government spent €10 million to host the fixture, and a report by BDO yesterday stated the 2025 NFL fixture returned an estimated €105 million for the Irish economy, with a return of €2.24 to the Exchequer on every €1 spent.

The NFL’s finalised international fixtures for next year does not include a return to Ireland, but O’Donovan praised the success of the 2025 fixture and said he hopes that Ireland will host NFL games in the 2027 and 2028 seasons. 

“’With regard to the NFL, much maligned by some commentators when we made the announcement we were giving €10 million available – they weren’t all commentators, there were a few high-ranking civil servants who said it was a total waste of money – and yet it had a 10.5:1 return”, said the minister.

“I would love to see the investment advice they would give to people not to go for a 10.5:1 investment on your few bob. It produced roughly more than €100 million for the Exchequer, with 2.5:1 to the Exchequer. Any day the Department for Expenditure and Reform and Department of Finance get a 2.5:1 return on a bond isn’t a bad day at all. There wasn’t to be an NFL this year in 2026, I know some journalists and other said, ‘Oh it’s a disaster, Ireland has been cut out’, Ireland was never in for 2026. We are hoping to be in for 2027 and 2028.

“There is a lot in the pipeline in terms of international events, whether it’s a return from the Steelers or the Vikings or whoever the NFL have up their sleeves for us.”