Minnesota Vikings confirmed as Pittsburgh Steelers opponents for historic regular season NFL game at Croke Park
The NFL announced its slate of international games for the 2025 season on Tuesday from Dublin Castle, with the capital at the forefront of discussion.
America's game will roll into town on Sunday 28 September, when the Pittsburgh Steelers welcome the Minnesota Vikings to Croke Park for the first regular season game on the island of Ireland.
There is no doubt that the 2025 NFL Dublin Game will be one of the largest international sporting events to ever take place on the island of Ireland, with an extensive tourism boost expected.
In February, the Irish Government told RTÉ Sport that it has committed to providing just short of €10m in State funding for the event - to cover a licence fee, security, transport and other costs around the venue - following "extensive discussions and negotiations with the NFL, which included a comprehensive assessment of costs and benefits."
The yearly Aer Lingus College Football Classic series has seen a considerable financial benefit in recent year, with Kansas State set to face Iowa State this August in Aviva Stadium.
One month later, Dublin will join the likes of London, Madrid, Berlin and Sao Paulo as NFL host cities.
Dublin's debut in September will be a moment nearly 30 years in the making, with the Steelers last playing in Ireland as part of a preseason game against the Chicago Bears in 1997. The team have not played overseas since 2013, when they ironically faced the Minnesota Vikings at Wembley Stadium, losing 34-27.
Much of the build-up to the game will now be dominated by whether former Green Bay Packers and New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers will join the Steelers, while on the other side the Vikings enter 2025 with a sense of renewed optimism after a 14-3 season.
There is no doubt the Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell will be eager to take part in the historic matchup. Minnesota is home to a large Irish-American community and while he has never visited Ireland before, he has spoken at length in recent years about how he is excited to visit in the future.
"Playing in Ireland's first-ever NFL game is an opportunity to introduce new fans to the Minnesota Vikings and help the league continue to make the game of football more accessible globally," said Vikings owner and president Mark Wilf.
"To do so against a storied franchise like the Pittsburgh Steelers adds a unique challenge that makes this even more special.
"We are honoured to be selected for this historic game and will be anxious to see what promises to be an electric gameday environment in Croke Park."
Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport Patrick O'Donovan welcomed the announcement today.
"This event provides for a huge boost to tourism and hospitality in Ireland and indeed creates a great atmosphere in Dublin for visitors and locals alike," he said.
"We look forward to welcoming the teams and supporters to Croke Park and to Dublin and beyond, as they take the opportunity to explore the many attractions that Ireland has to offer."
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