What The Steelers Could Expect In Dublin 2025

It’s well known that the Pittsburgh Steelers have been among the most reluctant NFL teams to head abroad to play in what is now known as the International Series. The tranche of games played abroad has grown considerably (five games in 2024), and we are acutely aware that the NFL is pushing for more with ambitions to grow the league’s brand. 

The Steelers’ lone game abroad game in 2013, with a defeat to the Minnesota Vikings in front of a packed Wembley Stadium in London. Since then, The Rooney Family has been forthwith in deciding not to leave the US. There are several reasons for this, including not wanting to give up home advantage, but there are also reasons of tradition and, of course, not wanting to upset the local fan base. 

Yet, there are hints that the Rooney Family may be tempted by a trip to Dublin in 2025. There are strong connections there obviously: The family’s ancestors emigrated from Ireland in the mid-19th century; Dan Rooney was the US Ambassador to Ireland. It’s certainly not guaranteed that the Steelers decide to play in Ireland – nor that they will be given the option to play – but it is a possibility, and that’s interesting. 

NFL popularity has grown across Europe

The first thing to say is that Ireland, the neighboring UK, and the rest of Europe have changed in terms of NFL fandom in the 11 years since the Steelers last crossed the Atlantic. Hardcore football fans will gather around their televisions on a Sunday (Sky Sports has round-the-clock coverage of the NFL), and fans will keep up to date with the latest NFL news and previews throughout the week on all manner of online platforms. It still has a way to go before it supplants Gaelic football, hurling, rugby, and soccer in Ireland, but its popularity is significant. 

Secondly, it’s worth noting that the Dublin game – the first-ever NFL game in Ireland – would be played at the historic Croke Park. It’s an iconic venue, one steeped in history that extends beyond sport. It’s the largest stadium in Europe for non-soccer sports, packing in over 82,000 fans. Built in 1891, it’s a kind of mecca for Irish sports. It has a standing area – the iconic Hill 16 – that packs in over 13,000 fans. There is no stadium like it. 

Steelers’ blue-collar roots resonated in Ireland

The Steelers are among the most popular NFL teams in Ireland. While it’s difficult to measure, we do know that  Pittsburgh’s Irish connections, the blue-collar values of the team’s history, and the team’s success in the 1970s helped grow its stature in Ireland. The Rooney Family is obviously fiercely proud of its Irish roots, and there is no shortage of families with the Rooney surname in Ireland. The team has visited several times before, both as a team and as individual players, including for a recent kicking camp. But playing an NFL match would be something much bigger.  

Of course, Pittsburgh locals would have mixed feelings about the team heading abroad, even if it were just for one game. The NFL’s ambitions to play more games abroad do not elicit the same sense of animosity as, for example, Premier League soccer, which has seen a massive backlash, but there is a sense that constant expansion abroad may weaken traditions at home. There is financial gain in growing football beyond America’s borders, but there is also a fear that – many years down the line – something could be lost. 

The Steelers are different from the Jacksonville Jaguars, which looks like the most likely candidate to move abroad permanently, and it is unarguable that being the first to play a game in Ireland and the iconic Croke Park would be a worthy achievement. If the cards fall the right way – and, as we said, nothing is certain – the Steelers should expect céad míle fáilte (one hundred thousand welcomes) from the locals, many of whom feel a special connection to Steel City and its football team.