Aer Lingus College Football Classic: All you need to know as American football comes to Dublin

In the first of two American football games in Dublin this year, the college football season comes to Ireland this weekend.

The Kansas State Wildcats and Iowa State Cyclones will face off in the Aviva Stadium this Saturday, with thousands of fans to travel to Ireland for the event.

The fixture has been worth millions to Dublin in recent years, and is expected to bring €130 million to the economy this Saturday, in what should be a great experience for all attending.

Planning to go to the game, or in Dublin for the weekend? Here is all you need to know.

When is the American Football Classic?

The game between the Kansas State Wildcats and Iowa State Cyclones is on Saturday, August 23rd, with kick off at 5.00pm.

This is the first international game for Iowa, while Kansas will be leaving the US for the first time since 1992.

Are there tickets still available?

There is still a limited number of tickets available for the game on Saturday. Tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster.

It is expected that over 24,000 fans will travel to Ireland for the game.

Will the game be shown on television?

Unfortunately, live coverage will not be shown anywhere free-to-air in Ireland. For those who can get access, the game will be shown live on ESPN.

Aer Lingus will debut a brand-new commercial during the ESPN broadcast of the game - bringing some Irish ‘craic’ to millions of viewers across North America.

The ad sees mascots Willie the Wildcat and Cy the Cardinal swap the gridiron for a lively Irish pub session. In a humorous nod to Irish hospitality, the beloved team mascots attempt to join a trad band.

Speaking about the 2025 game, Susanne Carberry, chief customer officer at Aer Lingus, says: “Aer Lingus is proud to fly the ‘Wildcats’ and the ‘Cyclones’ to Ireland for the 2025 Aer Lingus College Football Classic. We take great pleasure in ensuring that the teams, and their many supporters, experience a warm Irish welcome as they cross the Atlantic to Dublin, where they’ll share the magic of College Football with thousands of supporters at the Aviva Stadium.

"This event is a powerful showcase of Ireland’s famous hospitality, reaching a vast audience across our key North American market. Through Aer Lingus’ new ESPN TV ad, we hope audiences in the US and beyond will enjoy a glimpse of Ireland’s unique craic (fun), culture and charm.”

How can I get to the Aviva Stadium?

Fans are advised to take public transport to the event, with the Dart and bus bringing you a short distance away from the Aviva Stadium.