Will there be a NFL Dublin Game in 2026? Potential teams, date

October 21, 2025

Following the resounding success of the 2025 NFL Dublin Game, attention has turned to the possibility of Ireland hosting another in 2026.

74,512 fans attended the sold out game at Croke Park that saw the Pittsburgh Steelers breathe a sigh of relief when beating the Minnesota Vikings 24-21 after holding an 18-point lead at the top of the fourth quarter.

35% of ticket holders were from the United States, 30% from Ireland and 35% from the rest of the world as the Emerald Isle proved an incredible cultural melting pot. Over 40,000 people attended the free NFL events held in Dublin across the weekend.

In the US, Steelers vs Vikings was the second most-watched NFL Network international game on record and plans are reportedly in place to bring America’s game back to Dublin in the near future.

The Irish government allocated nearly €10 million to support the game and some estimates suggested the game was worth around €250 million to the country.

Will there be a NFL Dublin Game in 2026?

The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), which owns Croke Park, has already said it hopes the 2025 edition won’t be a “one-off.”

The NFL’s Vice President and Head Of Event Operations, Jon Barker, suggested that a return is definitely possible in the future.

“We’re not going into a market, playing a game and leaving,” he said. “This is about the other 364 days building the game of football and we sent those gift packets out to all the primary schools with flag football kits in them.

“It’s about the sport and enjoying the sport. We love this game and the ability to bring it here and the ability to share it with the people of Ireland. It’s really important to us and I’m glad we can do it.”

When pressed about future games in Dublin, Barker replied: “We look forward to it. It’s such a beautiful place.”

What teams could play in the NFL Dublin Game 2026?

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the dedicated home team for the 2025 renewal and they are expected to remain in Dublin for the foreseeable future.

The franchise holds deep roots with the island of Ireland as team president Art Rooney II has family from Newry, County Down and his father served as US ambassador to Ireland from 2009 to 2012.

After the Steelers win, legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers was asked by the media if Dublin deserved more games in the future – to which he replied: “100%.”

Rodgers added: “The whole experience was fantastic. Shout-out to the country and everybody who made this happen. Win or lose, I would have said the same thing.

“I just felt like the reception from the people here was outstanding.”

Another team has already thrown their hat in the ring for a shot at playing in Dublin. Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt has opened up the possibility, confirming it is something the team is targeting.

“I did have a chance to watch a little bit of the Dublin game on TV and I thought it was absolutely fantastic. I think that soon the Chiefs will be playing in Dublin as well.”

That quote came after Kansas City’s Chief Marketing Officer Lara Krug stated the team will “put their hand up” for playing as many international games as possible.

The Chiefs are unlikely to be a home team in 2026 as in a 17-game season they have only eight home games with nine on the road and generally, the home teams for international games give up a game in their own stadium when they have that extra home game on their schedule.

In 2026, NFC teams have that extra slot – not teams in the AFC where the Chiefs reside. Kansas City’s away NFC opponents for next year include the LA Rams, who host a game in Melbourne, Australia, the Seattle Seahawks and a team in the NFC South that is still to be determined.

Could there be two NFL Dublin games in 2026?

The United Kingdom has hosted multiple games a year since 2013 across Wembley Stadium, Twickenham Stadium and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

London is a city with plenty of venues so it’s easier than others – however Dublin is certainly a candidate for it considering the Aviva Stadium is just around the corner from Croke Park.

The Aviva has hosted college football games since 2012 and Dublin was the host of the first major NCAA-sanctioned American college football game played in Europe.

The first game was played at Lansdowne Road in Dublin in 1988. Previously known as the Shamrock Classic, from 2016 the event was marketed as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.

The demand would definitely be there and it’s not hard to see Dublin with two games in 2026.