Dublin Leads the Way as NFL’s International Audiences Hit Record Highs
The NFL’s international ambitions gathered serious momentum this season, with Sunday morning broadcasts delivering record audiences and Dublin emerging firmly as a star player in the league’s global expansion.
NFL Network averaged 6.2 million viewers across its six European 9:30 a.m. ET kickoffs, a rise of 32 per cent on last year and nudging past the previous record of 6.1 million. The most powerful signal of all, however, came from Ireland.
The Vikings–Steelers clash in Dublin—the first-ever regular-season NFL game on Irish soil—delivered a massive 7.9 million viewers, the highest European audience of the season, and a breakthrough moment for the sport on this side of the Atlantic.
It was also the clearest illustration yet of Dublin’s ability not just to host marquee events but to elevate them.
Dublin at the Top of the Table
The viewership ranking tells its own story:
Pittsburgh Steelers – Minnesota Vikings (Dublin): 7.9m
Cleveland Browns Vs Minnesota Vikings (London): 6.4m
Indianapolis Colts Vs Atlanta Falcons (Berlin): 6m
Miami Dolphins Vs Washington Commanders (Madrid): 5.9m
New York Jets Vs Denver Broncos (London): 5.7m
Jacksonville Jaguars Vs LA Rams (London): 5.26m
Not included in the NFL Network’s average is the season opener in São Paulo, where the LA Chargers faced the Kansas City Chiefs. That was watched by 16.1 million in the U.S.and 17.2 million globally on YouTube.
A Growing Global Footprint
The NFL played a record seven international games this year and is exploring adding up to two more in 2026, with Australia confirmed and France increasingly in the frame. Long term, the ambition is 16 international games per season, effectively one per team.
That requires dependable, high-performing host cities. Dublin has just proven it can sit at the top table.
Eyes on 2026
While the league is expected to return to its core venues in 2025, including London and Germany, there is already speculation, quiet in some corners, louder in others, that Dublin could be back in the rotation as early as 2026.
The Steelers, as well as the Chiefs, the Jets, the Jaguars and the Green Bay Packers all have global marketing rights to Ireland, and would be favoured to have home team status. The noises are that it could be Kansas City up next, with the sports global superstars Patrick Mahomes, and Taylor Swift’s fiance Travis Kelce presenting a compelling case for home audiences.
Speaking at an exclusive event for Golf and Other sporting Guests at the US Ambassador’s Residence last night Minister Patrick O’Donovan spoke of the heat he had drawn for committing €9 million to bring the game to Dublin but that those voices had quietened with the success of the game and the return on the investment for the irish economy in the short and the long term.
The numbers are compelling. The fan response was strong. The local partnership model worked. And the broadcast audience was unrivalled across Europe.
With Croke Park demonstrating once again its ability to deliver major event infrastructure at scale, and with Ireland’s growing connection to a league eager to add new markets, the conditions for a swift return are all there.
The NFL wanted proof that Dublin could deliver. The city delivered—and then some.
The next move may well be theirs, but the case for NFL Dublin 2026 is already writing itself.
Image Credit: Croke Park Stadium
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