“We are also looking at the potential of a game in the UK area, in Ireland, possibly.”
Ireland’s first-ever regular season NFL game is close to being confirmed.
The Examiner have reported that the match-up will take place at Croke Park next September, with the Pittsburgh Steelers set to be one of the teams involved.
The Irish government must first give its approval and sign off on a document prepared by the NFL, GAA, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, which has outlines the benefits of hosting such an event at Croke Park.
Fine Gael have already set out their plans to host large sporting events in the country.
Part of their manifesto read: “Actively bid to host major international sporting events, including the Rugby World Cup, European Football Championships, NFL games, and major athletics championships. This will drive tourism, stimulate the economy, and raise Ireland’s international profile.”
The NFL’s commissioner, Roger Goodell, has spoken previously about hosting a game in Ireland, and met a GAA delegation at Caroline Panthers and New York Giants game in Munich last month.
GAA President Jarlath Burns was also part of a delegation that visited Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium in March.
Goodell said: “We’re definitely going to Spain, we’ve announced that. We expect to return to Mexico City, we expect to return to Brazil, we will certainly be back in the UK.
“And we are also looking at the potential of a game in the UK area, in Ireland, possibly – that’s a possibility.”
Ireland has a history of hosting successful American football events, with the College Football Classic, which has taken place at both the Aviva Stadium and Croke Park.
The Steelers have previously played at Croke Park when they faced off against the Chicago Bears in an NFL pre-season game in 1997.
It has also been confirmed that the first game of next season will take place at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
