Pittsburgh Steelers to Play in NFL’s First Regular Season Game in Dublin

The National Football League will play its first-ever regular season game in Dublin in 2025, with the Pittsburgh Steelers selected as the designated team.

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

“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, NFL executive vice president international, league events and club business. “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.”

Steelers’ president Art Rooney II and his family have roots in Ireland. The late Dan M. Rooney, Art’s father, served as U.S. ambassador to Ireland from 2009–2012 and was a co-founder of the Ireland Funds charity. The Steelers hold marketing rights in both Ireland and Northern Ireland as part of the league’s Global Markets Program.

“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. “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 are one of 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. Croke Park 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 hosted a college football game between Notre Dame and Navy.

“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, 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.”

The NFL recently announced that the Indianapolis Colts will play as the designated home team in the first-ever NFL regular season game in Berlin, and that the Miami Dolphins will play as the designated team in the first-ever regular season game in Spain. The Los Angeles Rams will be the designated home team for a game in 2026 at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, the league’s first regular season game in that country.