No NFL game in Croker this year
February 03, 2026
A view of the Irish and American flags in Croke Park ahead of Sunday's NFL game ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
American football won't be returning to Croke Park in 2026, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has confirmed.
Despite the huge success of the first-ever NFL game in Dublin between the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers last October, which attracted a capacity crowd to Croke Park, the NFL has no plans to return to Ireland this year. However, Goodell isn't ruling out staging future NFL games in Ireland.
"We did have a wonderful time and I think both clubs had a great time and our fans had a spectacular time," Goodell said at a press conference ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl clash between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks in San Francisco.
"One of the things about that game that stands out to me is that it felt like the entire island was in support of this.
"That game had more people come from the States for an international game than any game in our history of the international series, and I think that's a tribute to Ireland.
"We will be back, I would guess that will we be back in a few years. We’ve got to work with the officials on that and when that happens but I would expect that to happen and that’s our intention."
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