College football is going back to Ireland! It was recently announced that the ACC’s North Carolina Tar Heels will face the Big 12’s TCU Horned Frogs in the 2026 edition of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, which is held in Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.
North Carolina, TCU Lock In 2026 Season Opener Abroad in Ireland
College football has gone global once again, as the North Carolina Tar Heels and TCU Horned Frogs are set to kick off the 2026 season in Dublin, Ireland. The game, to be played on August 29, 2026, is sponsored by Irish airline Aer Lingus and will be coined as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
This series, which dates back to 2016, has featured several great games over the years. In the inaugural match, Georgia Tech took down Boston College. The series took some bumps along the way due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have since held matchups of Northwestern and Nebraska, Notre Dame and Navy, and Georgia Tech and Florida State.
While the matchup between the Cyclones and Wildcats may feature ranked teams, the Tar Heels are a major attraction for fans overseas.
Head coach Bill Belichick was hired in December and is the headliner of the 2026 edition of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. The former New England Patriots head man has eight Super Bowl victories in his career.
“We’re grateful to be selected to participate in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic,” Belichick said. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for our program, and we’re excited to represent the university and our community on an international stage.”
Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes is no stranger to success either, as he led TCU to its first College Football Playoff berth and victory in 2022. He was named the National Coach of the Year for his efforts and has amassed a 98-76 record in 15 seasons.
“We will take great pride in representing TCU internationally. With a good number of our players not having traveled overseas, I am most happy for them to have this opportunity and very much appreciate the Aer Lingus College Football Classic making it possible for them as well as all of TCU to share in this experience,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said.
“It will be special to take the field in Dublin and for our fans to see us on this type of stage in Ireland. We have enjoyed watching past Aer Lingus College Football Classic games, and it’s a true honor for us to now play in it and kick off the 2026 college football season.”
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Regardless of whether or not the two teams will be ranked, the matchup featuring Belichick and Dykes will be an amusing one and give overseas fans something to get excited about come August of 2026.
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