AN NFL game in Dublin is under ‘active consideration’ according to the Government.
The country’s first Major International Sports Events Policy and Strategy Framework was launched at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday morning.
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Already, Ireland is looking forward to staging the Ryder Cup in 2027 and co-hosting Euro 2028.
Speaking at the match between the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Chicago Bears in London, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says there is “no doubt” that Dublin will host a regular season game at some point.
And Minister for Sport Catherine Martin and Minister of State Thomas Byrne confirmed that plans were afoot for it to happen.
Minister Martin said: “That is under active consideration. I think we’ve seen the absolute benefit in real terms of College football so you could imagine that this would do.
“It’s under active consideration.”
And Junior Minister Byrne added: “There’s a number of those projects under active consideration, including World Rally.
“That was discussed before and our officials are in ongoing conversations with Rally Ireland but also with NFL.”
College American football games in Dublin have drawn huge numbers of travelling fans for the past three years with matches already contracted for both 2025 and 2026 too.
But those standalone games could pale in comparison to the hype around Euro 2028 for which six matches have already been agreed for the Aviva Stadium.
With Casement Park ruled out as a host ground, there is a belief and expectation that more matches will take place in the Republic of Ireland.
And both TDs reiterated their preference for additional games to be staged outside Dublin – with Páirc Uí Chaoimh the alternative – rather than for all of them go to Lansdowne Road.
Minister Martin said: “It is ultimately for the stakeholders for themselves to decide but the more that they can be spread the better.
“I always talk about regional tourism 250,000 working in tourism, 70 percent of those are in the regions.”
And the Meath TD added: “We want more matches, we’ve expressed the view to UEFA and the organisation running it under Debbie Hewitt that we want them on a regional basis.
“Our overarching objective it so have more games on the island. There are ongoing discussions with partners on that but it is their decision at the end of the day.”
And, ultimately, ticket prices will be decided by event organisers too, amid outrage that one-day tickets for the 2025 Ryder Cup in New York will cost almost €700.
107,000 people have applied for tickets to attend in Adare in three years’ time and the Fianna Fáil deputy said: “We have got make sure that the events we host here are accessible.
“And I would say in relation to Golf Ireland here in the last year or so we’ve been really working on what legacy benefits might be in terms of increased participation in golf around the country and how we activate the event.
“Tourism is so important, don’t get me wrong, but how we get more people playing golf is huge, and also pitch and putt. That’s a very easily accessible sport.”
