Ireland’s First Regular Season Game Successfully Kicks Off Europe’s Run of 2025 International Games
The National Football League made history on Sunday, Sept. 28 with its first-ever game in Dublin, Ireland. The Minnesota Vikings faced the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park with the Steelers winning 24-21.
The highly anticipated game culminated the NFL’s city takeover in Dublin, as fans across Ireland celebrated the sport.
2025 NFL Dublin Game by the numbers:
- 74,512 fans attended the sold-out game at Croke Park.
- 35% of ticket holders were from the U.S., 30% from Ireland and 35% from the rest of the world.
- Over 40,000 fans attended free NFL events held in Dublin across the weekend, including NFL Experience Dublin presented by EA Sports Madden NFL at Dublin Castle and the Super Bowl Gallery at Dublin City Hall.
- The Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed more than 20,000 fans to their Steelers Fan Tailgate at Merrion Square presented by Aer Lingus.
- More than 33,500 fans visited The NFL Shop Dublin City Center Retail Store at St. Stephen’s Green, operated by Fanatics.
- Two exclusive local merchandise collaborations – the NFL x GAA collaboration with local designer Beir Bua and exclusive Dublin City Jersey designed by Fanatics – sold out on day of launch.
- Irish free-to-air broadcast partner Virgin Media Television saw more than half a million viewers tune-in to watch.
- In the U.S., Vikings-Steelers was the second most-watched NFL Network international game on record.
- NFL Flag events took place across the island of Ireland in the lead up to the 2025 Dublin game in Galway, Belfast, Dublin and Cork, with 38 schools and 500 young people engaged. An additional NFL Flag schools program launched across the island of Ireland weeks prior to the game, with the league gifting NFL Flag starter kits to almost 1,000 post-primary schools.
- 17 NFL partners (both global brands and local Irish brands) activated at and around the first-ever game in Dublin.
- The NFL Dublin Game week delivered 55M post impressions and 30M video views from the NFL U.K. & Ireland social channels.
“The first-ever regular season game in Dublin leads the slate of six international games to be played across Europe in the coming weeks, and it was a huge success,” said General Manager of NFL U.K. & Ireland Henry Hodgson. “Dublin was flooded with NFL fans from around the world, who had a chance to experience the NFL up close for the first time in Ireland. The game and the week of events that surrounded it will live long in the memories of everyone who played their part in creating NFL history.”
“Dublin was transformed last week by the NFL’s arrival for its first-ever regular season game in Ireland,” said Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan TD. “Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings fans took over the city and experienced the best the capital has to offer in the days leading up to the game. I want to thank both teams, as well as the 74,512 fans who attended the game, for choosing to visit Dublin. It was a seamless experience for the fans in Croke Park, thanks to the stadium team, An Garda Síochána, Dublin City Council and the NFL. Congratulations to everyone involved and I hope it isn’t too long before we see the NFL here again.”
“Well done to the hometown Steelers, who turned Croke Park, and all of Dublin, black and yellow for the week,” said Minister of State for Sport and Postal Policy Charlie McConalogue TD. “It was a pleasure to welcome NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the Rooney Family and both teams to Dublin. My thanks also go to the Vikings and their superb traveling fans, who cheered their hearts out. I hope Dublin has the opportunity to do it all again in the near future.”
“Dublin city was at its very best last weekend, buzzing with vibrant colors and great energy with the many events taking place around the NFL game,” said Lord Mayor of Dublin Councillor Ray McAdam. “We were proud to welcome visitors from near and far, and to celebrate the powerful role sport and culture play in bringing people together in the heart of our capital.”
Following the 2025 NFL Dublin game, the 2025 NFL International Games will continue in London, U.K. (Oct. 5, Oct. 12 and Oct. 19), Berlin, Germany (Nov. 9) and Madrid, Spain (Nov. 16).
Prior to the game in Dublin, the NFL hosted its first 2025 international game of the season in São Paulo, Brazil at Corinthians Arena.