The NFL Is Looking to Expand Its International Presence

There was a time not long ago when the concept of a regular-season NFL game played outside of North America seemed wildly implausible. Times have changed; for instance, the NFL has an agreement to play games at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until at least the 2029-30 season. London isn’t the only international city where the league has a presence, either. The NFL has announced games in London, São Paulo, Madrid and Munich for 2024 and 2025.

As it turns out, those aren’t the only cities that the league has its eyes on. Commissioner Roger Goodell recently discussed where the league might be looking to hold games in the future, and he appears to have his sights set on the NFL coming to Dublin sooner rather than later.

“[W]e’re also looking at the potential of another game in the U.K. area in Ireland, possibly,” Goodell said in the lead-up to Sunday’s Giants-Panthers game in Munich. The proposed Dublin game would be one of eight 2025 games to be played overseas, the commissioner added.

Goodell didn’t provide any details on where in Ireland the game would be held. In his report on the news, NFL.com’s Jeremy Bergman speculated that Dublin would be the most likely location, with Aviva Stadium or Croke Park as venues that could house a game.

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Aviva Stadium, with a capacity of 49,000 for football, is generally home to soccer and rugby union games. It has hosted some college football games over the years, though — most recently a Notre Dame-Navy game in 2023. In 2025, it will host a game between Kansas State and Iowa State.

Croke Park has the larger capacity of the two, with space enough to hold 82,300 spectators. It’s also housed college football competitions, including a Penn State-University of Central Florida game in 2013. Wherever the NFL decides to hold the game, there’s no shortage of options in and around Dublin — and, presumably, an appreciative audience for the game as well.