As has become a tradition in recent years, the college football campaign will get underway in Dublin, Ireland, this season. But as thousands of Americans join a growing number of European fans of the game flocking to the Emerald Isle, why is their college football being played in Dublin this weekend?
The Origins of College Football in Dublin
College football transcends the on-field action. The pride, passion, and pageantry associated with the sport are unrivaled, uniting communities in a way that few other sports do. Unsurprisingly, that focus on something bigger than a mere game on the gridiron was the driving factor behind bringing college football to Dublin for the first time in 1988.
Back then, as it is today, the college football game in Dublin was intended to help tourist ties between America and Ireland. There are over 40 million Americans of Irish descent, and the hope was that holding a game on the Emerald Isle would connect those of Irish descent with their homeland. With over 40,000 Notre Dame fans arriving in Ireland in 2023, you could call it a success.
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The first college football game in Dublin was held in 1988, with the Boston College Eagles winning by two touchdowns over an Army Black Knights team with just one loss on their record as they arrived in Ireland. There were games in consecutive seasons, but just one more matchup came to fruition over the next 20 years.
From 2012, college football in Dublin became a more frequent occurrence, with games held in 2012, 2014, and 2016. The latter was the first of a sponsorship tie in with Irish airline Aer Lingus, resulting in the Ireland game being permanently known as the Aer Lingus College Class. Previous names included the Emerald Isle Classic, Shamrock Classic, and Croke Park Classic.
Over 35 years after the inception of college football in Dublin, the original mission to unite America and Ireland remains. Under the banner of “Much More Than A Game,” the Aer Lingus College Football Classic looks to strengthen existing relationships and former new ones between the two countries.
“The #MuchMoreThanAGame initiative includes educational, cultural, academic, business, and networking opportunities together with the traditional US parades, pep rallies, and tailgating parties that will help cement the long-lasting friendship between both countries,” states the official CFB Ireland site.
Which College Football Games Have Been Played in Dublin?
- Boston College vs. Army (1988)
- Pittsburgh vs. Rutgers (1989)
- Notre Dame vs. Navy (1996)
- Notre Dame vs. Navy (2012)
- Penn State vs. UCF (2014)
- Georgia Tech vs. Boston College (2016)
- Northwestern vs. Nebraska (2022)
- Notre Dame vs. Navy (2023)
- Georgia Tech vs. Florida State (2024)
Which Teams Will Play College Football in Dublin in the Future?
With an attendance of over 40,000 in the last five times college football has been played in Dublin, the Aer Lingus College Football Classic looks to have a permanent future as a fixture on the sports calendar. But which teams will make the trip across the pond in the coming years?
In April 2024 it was announced that the Kansas State Wildcats and Iowa State Cyclones would bring college football back to Dublin for the 2025 season. The “Farmageddon” rivalry matchup held on the Emerald Isle will mark the first time the Cyclones have played outside the US. The Wildcats previously played a game in Tokyo in the early 1990s.
Meanwhile, back in November 2023, it was announced that the Pittsburgh Panthers and Wisconsin Badgers would play their 2027 season opener across the pond to continue the tradition of college football in Dublin. The Badgers are another team to have played in Tokyo previously, while the Panthers return to Ireland for the first time since 1989 when they pounded Rutgers, 46-29.
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