THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS will play the first ever competitive NFL game to take place in Ireland when they return to Croke Park later this year.
The NFL confirmed the landmark move at a press conference on Friday afternoon, which will see one of America’s most famous sporting institutions host a 2025 regular-season fixture at the home of Gaelic Games.
The event will see the NFL work in conjunction with the Irish government and the GAA.
The exact date and the Steelers’ opponents for the fixture will be confirmed later in the spring, but The 42 understands a game with the Green Bay Packers is under consideration for Sunday, 28 September.
“We are delighted to officially bring a regular season NFL game to Ireland as part of our 2025 International Games slate,” said Peter O’Reilly, executive vice president of the NFL’s international department.
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“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.”
The Steelers’ significant Irish connections go back to the very roots of the 92-year-old franchise. The Irish-American Rooney family, who originally emigrated to Pittsburgh from Newry, Co. Down, during the 1800s, founded the Steelers in 1933 and remain the club’s majority owners.
The Steelers are currently run by Art Rooney II, who inherited the responsibility from his father, the late Dan Rooney, a former US ambassador to Ireland. Under Dan Rooney’s presidency, the Pennsylvania-based Steelers played an NFL pre-season game at Croke Park in July 1997, when they faced the Chicago Bears.
“We are very excited to be the designated team in the first regular season game to be played in Ireland this upcoming season,” said Art Rooney II, whose family has presided over a record-equalling six Super Bowl titles.
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.
The Steelers who, along with the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars, hold the NFL’s exclusive international marketing rights in Ireland, will be the designated home team in Dublin.
The historic fixture will be the Steelers’ first international game since they met the Minnesota Vikings at London’s Wembley Stadium in September 2013.
As well as the Steelers’ pre-season game with the Bears 28 years ago, Croke Park has also previously hosted college football games, the last being a meeting of Penn State and the University of Central Florida in August 2014.
The Aviva Stadium has played host to the four more recent installments of the ‘College Football Classic’, three of which have taken place in consecutive years since 2022.
“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 Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport.
“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 US, 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.”
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NFL confirms Croke Park will host landmark fixture later this year
LAST UPDATE | 7 Feb
THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS will play the first ever competitive NFL game to take place in Ireland when they return to Croke Park later this year.
The NFL confirmed the landmark move at a press conference on Friday afternoon, which will see one of America’s most famous sporting institutions host a 2025 regular-season fixture at the home of Gaelic Games.
The event will see the NFL work in conjunction with the Irish government and the GAA.
The exact date and the Steelers’ opponents for the fixture will be confirmed later in the spring, but The 42 understands a game with the Green Bay Packers is under consideration for Sunday, 28 September.
“We are delighted to officially bring a regular season NFL game to Ireland as part of our 2025 International Games slate,” said Peter O’Reilly, executive vice president of the NFL’s international department.
“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.”
The Steelers’ significant Irish connections go back to the very roots of the 92-year-old franchise. The Irish-American Rooney family, who originally emigrated to Pittsburgh from Newry, Co. Down, during the 1800s, founded the Steelers in 1933 and remain the club’s majority owners.
The Steelers are currently run by Art Rooney II, who inherited the responsibility from his father, the late Dan Rooney, a former US ambassador to Ireland. Under Dan Rooney’s presidency, the Pennsylvania-based Steelers played an NFL pre-season game at Croke Park in July 1997, when they faced the Chicago Bears.
“We are very excited to be the designated team in the first regular season game to be played in Ireland this upcoming season,” said Art Rooney II, whose family has presided over a record-equalling six Super Bowl titles.
The Steelers who, along with the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars, hold the NFL’s exclusive international marketing rights in Ireland, will be the designated home team in Dublin.
The historic fixture will be the Steelers’ first international game since they met the Minnesota Vikings at London’s Wembley Stadium in September 2013.
As well as the Steelers’ pre-season game with the Bears 28 years ago, Croke Park has also previously hosted college football games, the last being a meeting of Penn State and the University of Central Florida in August 2014.
The Aviva Stadium has played host to the four more recent installments of the ‘College Football Classic’, three of which have taken place in consecutive years since 2022.
“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 Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport.
“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 US, 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.”
- Updated with quotes at 2:50pm
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