By Josh 
Discussions to bring an NFL game to Croke Park later this year are progressing, with hopes that an official announcement could come as early as this week.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, known for their strong Irish ties, are expected to play a 2025 regular-season home game overseas. Reports suggest they could host the Green Bay Packers in Dublin this September.
Government sources indicated on Wednesday that while talks between the NFL and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media are ongoing, no final agreement has been signed. However, there is optimism that an announcement could align with Super Bowl LIX, taking place in New Orleans this Sunday.
If confirmed, this would mark the Steelers’ first international game since their 2013 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings at London’s Wembley Stadium. The franchise holds exclusive NFL international marketing rights in Ireland.
Croke Park has previously hosted American football, including the 2014 college game between Penn State and the University of Central Florida. In recent years, college games have been played at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
The NFL’s push into new international markets for the 2025 season includes planned games in London, Berlin, and Madrid. The New York Jets and Cleveland Browns will play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while the Jacksonville Jaguars will host a game at Wembley. The Indianapolis Colts are set to play in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, and the Miami Dolphins will take part in the league’s first-ever regular-season game in Spain at Real Madrid’s Bernabéu Stadium.
If Dublin secures the Steelers-Packers matchup, it would mark a significant expansion of the NFL’s global presence and a historic moment for American football in Ireland.