Latest news with #AerLingusCollegeFootballClassic
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Iowa State football: Kickoff time set for Aug. 23 season-opener in Dublin vs Kansas State
Iowa State football's season-opener against rival Kansas State at the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland, will officially kick off at 11 a.m. CT/5 p.m. IST on Aug. 23. The game will be held at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin and will be televised on ESPN. Advertisement This will be the first time that the Cyclones and Wildcats will play in a season-opening game. It will also be Iowa State's first football game played outside of the United States. Iowa State leads the Farmageddon rivalry, 54-50-4. The Cyclones won each of the last two meetings, previously defeating Kansas State, 29-21, on Nov. 30 in Ames to clinch the program's first 10-win season. The Cyclones eventually finished the year 11-3 and won the Pop-Tarts Bowl. More: Hines: Iowa State football's word of the offseason is 'toughness' Kansas State is coming off a 9-4 season, which concluded with a 44-41 win over Rutgers in the Rate Bowl. Advertisement The Aer Lingus College Football Classic started in 1988 and has taken various names over the years, including the Croke Park Classic, Emerald Isle Classic and Shamrock Classic. This is the first time that the event will feature two Big 12 teams. Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@ Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5 . This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football vs Kansas State kickoff time set in Dublin
RTÉ News
13-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
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."
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
North Carolina and TCU to open 2026 college football season in Ireland
The first game of Bill Belichick's second season at North Carolina will come in Ireland. North Carolina and TCU announced Tuesday that they would open the 2026 season against each other in Ireland. It's the second game of a series between the two schools that begins on Labor Day when the Tar Heels host the Horned Frogs on Sept. 1. 'We're grateful to be selected to participate in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic,' Belichick said in a statement. 'It's a tremendous opportunity for our program and we're excited to represent the university and our fans on an international stage.' The 2026 matchup between the teams will take place on Saturday, Aug. 29. It will be the 11th college football game in Ireland and the fifth straight season opener in the country. After a six-year break, Aviva Stadium hosted Northwestern's win over Nebraska in 2022. Notre Dame beat Navy 42-3 in 2023 and Georgia Tech upset Florida State in 2024. That game was a sign of things to come in a miserable season for the Seminoles. The 2025 Ireland game features Big 12 rivals Iowa State and Kansas State. After UNC and TCU play each other in 2026, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin will match up in 2027. It's the first trip to Ireland for both TCU and North Carolina. UNC is the fifth ACC school to play in Ireland, though Pitt was not a member of the ACC when it beat Rutgers in December of 1989. 'We will take great pride in representing TCU internationally,' TCU coach Sonny Dykes said in a statement. 'With a good number of our players not having traveled overseas, I am most happy for them to have this opportunity and very much appreciate Aer Lingus and Irish American Events making it possible for them as well as all of TCU to share in this experience.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
North Carolina and TCU to open 2026 college football season in Ireland
The first game of Bill Belichick's second season at North Carolina will come in Ireland. North Carolina and TCU announced Tuesday that they would open the 2026 season against each other in Ireland. It's the second game of a series between the two schools that begins on Labor Day when the Tar Heels host the Horned Frogs on Sept. 1. 'We're grateful to be selected to participate in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic,' Belichick said in a statement. 'It's a tremendous opportunity for our program and we're excited to represent the university and our fans on an international stage.' The 2026 matchup between the teams will take place on Saturday, Aug. 29. It will be the 11th college football game in Ireland and the fifth straight season opener in the country. After a six-year break, Aviva Stadium hosted Northwestern's win over Nebraska in 2022. Notre Dame beat Navy 42-3 in 2023 and Georgia Tech upset Florida State in 2024. That game was a sign of things to come in a miserable season for the Seminoles. The 2025 Ireland game features Big 12 rivals Iowa State and Kansas State. After UNC and TCU play each other in 2026, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin will match up in 2027. It's the first trip to Ireland for both TCU and North Carolina. UNC is the fifth ACC school to play in Ireland, though Pitt was not a member of the ACC when it beat Rutgers in December of 1989. 'We will take great pride in representing TCU internationally,' TCU coach Sonny Dykes said in a statement. 'With a good number of our players not having traveled overseas, I am most happy for them to have this opportunity and very much appreciate Aer Lingus and Irish American Events making it possible for them as well as all of TCU to share in this experience.'
Epoch Times
24-04-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Bill Belichick ‘Excited' About UNC-TCU Game Set for Ireland in 2026
Longtime football coaching great Bill Belichick could coach a game overseas at least one more time. If he coaches North Carolina beyond 2025, he will lead the Tar Heels against TCU in Ireland, a matchup the schools announced on Tuesday. The two teams will meet in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this season, and TCU will be the 'home team' in Dublin, Ireland, next year. 'We're grateful to be selected to participate in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic,' Belichick said in a Belichick has coached games on foreign turf four times in his 23-year career with the New England Patriots. He went International games have been around for years for both the NFL and college football, and Ireland has become a popular spot for the college gridiron over the past three years because of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Georgia Tech won the last one in 2024, besting Florida State 'We are excited to welcome TCU and North Carolina to Dublin for the 2026 Aer Lingus Classic and offer one-of-a-kind experiences to local and traveling fans,' John Anthony, co-founder of the Aer Lingus Classic and executive vice president of On Location, said in a statement. Related Stories 3/6/2025 2/13/2025 'This compelling matchup promises to deliver another unforgettable start to the college football season in front of a passionate crowd at Aviva Stadium. We are honored that elite universities like TCU and UNC will continue our tradition to deliver 'Much More Than a Game' to their programs and supporters.' According to UNC, 47,998 fans attended the game at Aviva Stadium last year, drawing visitors from 26 countries and generating $146 million in revenue. Irish Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture, and Sport Patrick O'Donovan called the game 'a firm fixture on the Irish sporting calendar' in its fourth-straight year of being played. 'It has huge benefits for Irish tourism, the wider economy, and our sports ecosystem, and indeed creates a great atmosphere in Dublin for visitors and locals alike,' O'Donovan said in a statement. 'We look forward to welcoming the teams and their supporters in August 2026 to Aviva Stadium and to Dublin and beyond, as they take the opportunity of the occasion to explore other parts of Ireland.' Nebraska and Northwestern played in Ireland during the 2022 season in front of 42,699 fans, and Notre Dame-Army drew 49,000 in 2023. Big 12 rivals Iowa State and Kansas State will meet in this year's game. Also from the Big 12, TCU head coach Sonny Dykes looks forward to the opportunity in 2026 for the Aug. 29 game. Originally, the Horned Frogs and Tar Heels were set to play in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sept. 5 that year. 'We will take great pride in representing TCU internationally,' Dykes said in a 'It will be special to take the field in Dublin and for our fans to see us on this type of stage in Ireland. We have enjoyed watching past Aer Lingus College Football Classic games, and it's a true honor for us to now play in it and kick off the 2026 college football season.' Until then, UNC and TCU first meet on Sept. 1 when Belichick will make his Tar Heels debut after a year away from coaching.
