NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell eyes eight international games in 2025, including one in Ireland

The Steelers are a potential candidate to play in a future game in Ireland. Their former owner, Dan Rooney, served as Ambassador to Ireland from 2009-2012, and Pittsburgh is one of three NFL teams with Ireland as its designated global market (Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets).

In May 2023, Daniel Rooney, the Steelers’ director of business development and strategy, said it was the organization’s “aspirations long term” to play a game in Ireland.

Ireland would be the sixth different country to participate in the NFL’s International Games, following the United Kingdom, Mexico, Germany, Brazil and Spain, and the fourth European nation to do so.

As Goodell mentioned, the NFL has already announced it will play a game at the renovated Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, the Spanish capital, next season. The league is also slated to return to Estadio Azteca in Mexico City for the first time since 2022. After the NFL’s September debut in São Paulo — a thrilling 34-29 Eagles win over the Packers — the league is expected to be back in Brazil. The NFL will return to Germany in 2025, as well, and is eyeing Berlin as a potential site for a game.

NFL team owners voted in December to authorize the league to host eight games internationally each season.