Black? Gold? Or a bit of both? As the Pittsburgh Steelers secured a narrow victory over the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park on Sunday, the impact on the Irish tourism and hospitality industries was being evaluated
The match marked the first regular-season National Football League game on Irish soil, as a 1997 fixture between Steelers and Bears took place in the July pre season series. The Steelers were the designated home team and they enjoyed raucous support from the 74,512 spectators, with an estimated 28,000 having travelled from the United States, filling hotels and public houses across the city in the preceding days.
The event forms part of the league’s international expansion, which includes fixtures in Sao Paulo, Berlin, Madrid and London during the 2025 season. The Irish Government committed €9.8m in funding, the majority of it to cover licence fees, security and transport costs, following negotiations that assessed economic returns.
Fáilte Ireland, the national tourism body, reports that bookings in Dublin hotels reached 95pc occupancy in the week leading to the game, compared with 72pc for the same period last year. Operators in Temple Bar and along the River Liffey accommodated groups from Pittsburgh and Minnesota, with average nightly rates at €220 per room.
The Gaelic Athletic Association, which owns Croke Park, received €2.5m from ticket sales and venue hire, funds that support maintenance of the stadium built in 1891. Local traders sold team merchandise and served meals to fans, generating €15m in direct spending on food, drink and souvenirs.
The league anticipates that 40pc of attendees travelled from outside Ireland, contributing to a total economic input of €45m for the Dublin region. This figure includes indirect effects from airport transfers and guided tours of sites such as the Guinness Storehouse and Trinity College.
Follow-up broadcasts on Virgin Media Television, which holds rights to ten league games this season, reached 1.2m viewers in Ireland. The channel’s coverage, free to air, introduced the sport to households not previously engaged.
Organisers plan to build on the fixture with youth flag football programmes in schools, in partnership with the Steelers and Vikings franchises. A second Dublin game enters discussions for 2026, pending venue availability.
The match itself concluded with a field goal in the final quarter, after which players from both teams joined grounds staff for a pitch inspection. Supporters lingered in the stands until dusk, exchanging scarves with Gaelic football fans present for the occasion.
Dublin City Council closed sections of the Quays to manage crowds, with gardaí reporting no major incidents. Buses operated extended routes from Dublin Airport, where arrivals from transatlantic flights peaked at 5,000 on Saturday.
The Steelers stayed at Carton House in Maynooth, using facilities utilized by the Irish rugby team. The Rooney family, owners of the Steelers, trace their lineage to County Down, a connection that featured in pre-match events at the stadium. Art Rooney II, team president, addressed the audience on heritage ties during a halftime interval.
Hospitality venues extended opening hours until 4am on Sunday, serving breakfasts to early risers among the American contingent. Taxi drivers logged 20pc more fares citywide, with destinations including Phoenix Park and Howth Harbour.
While the widely reported mugging of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Skylar Thompson in Dublin on Friday night was a negative from the event, Fáilte Ireland data shows that 60pc of international visitors extended stays beyond the weekend, booking onward travel to Cork and Galway. This pattern mirrors impacts from prior rugby internationals at the Aviva Stadium.
The event coincides with a 12pc rise in overall tourism arrivals for September, attributed in part to the fixture’s promotion. Airline partnerships with Aer Lingus and Delta Air Lines offered discounted fares, filling 85pc of seats on direct routes from New York and Minneapolis.
Croke Park staff prepared the pitch with hybrid grass reinforced for American football, a process that began two weeks prior. The stadium’s capacity accommodated standing areas in Hill 16, where local supporters mixed with overseas groups.
League officials project that global viewership exceeded 10m, with streams available on NFL+ and DAZN platforms. Irish subscribers to these services increased by 18pc in the month leading to the game.
Dublin’s tourism sector now eyes similar events, with bids submitted for concerts and motorsport in 2026..
