Updates

The NFL will play its first-ever regular season game in Dublin, Ireland in 2025 as the league continues to expand its global footprint and take the game to new audiences around the world.

The 2025 NFL Dublin game will take place at Croke Park — the largest sporting arena in Ireland and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) — in partnership with the Government of Ireland and Dublin City Council (Dublin City).

The Pittsburgh Steelers will play as the designated team for the historic first game. Steelers’ president Art Rooney II and his family have a rich history and deep connection with the Island of Ireland, having family from Newry, County Down. The late Dan M. Rooney, Art Rooney’s father, served as U.S. ambassador to Ireland from 2009-2012 and was a co-founder of the Ireland Funds charity.

The Steelers are also one of only two NFL teams to have played a game in Ireland to date, a preseason matchup in 1997 against the Chicago Bears at Croke Park as part of the American Bowl series.

“We are very excited to be the designated team in the first regular season game to be played in Ireland this upcoming season,” said Steelers’ President Art Rooney II. “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.”

Croke Park has played host to many iconic sporting moments. It is the home of the GAA and hosts the Gaelic football and hurling All-Ireland finals every year. In 2003 it held the Special Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies and in 1996 it held the college football game between Notre Dame and the Navy.

The full matchup including opposition, date and kickoff time will be announced when the 2025 NFL schedule is revealed this spring.

In addition to NFL International Games, the league is committed to growing the game at every level on the Island of Ireland, engaging with fans year-round through partners, programs and initiatives. 

The NFL’s Global Market Program (GMP), which awards teams marketing rights in international markets to grow fandom, commercial opportunities and brand awareness, sees three teams active in the Irish market – the Steelers, the New York Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The league’s official youth flag football program, NFL Flag, was launched in Ireland in 2024 in partnership with American Football Ireland (AFI). In the first-ever NFL Flag National Championships, Green Lanes School from Dublin were crowned champions and traveled to the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games in Orlando last week to represent Ireland in the International Championships, showcasing the league’s efforts to increase participation and inspire the next generation.

Beginning in 2025, the NFL can schedule up to eight league-operated regular season games internationally.

The NFL will play two regular season games in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — the only purpose-built NFL stadium outside of the U.S. — featuring the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns as designated teams.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will also return to Wembley Stadium in London to operate a home game, their 14th in the city, as part of their multi-year commitment to playing a game in the U.K. 

The league will also host one game in Berlin, Germany at the Olympic Stadium Berlin, with the Indianapolis Colts as the designated team and one game in Madrid, Spain at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium featuring the Miami Dolphins.

This week at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, the NFL also announced its first regular season game for the 2026 season, in Melbourne, Australia. The Los Angeles Rams will be designated as the team for this historic game at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Fifty-five regular season NFL games have been played around the world throughout the league's history, with London, Munich, Frankfurt, São Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto all hosting games to date.