Dublin will once again host the Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT) this August, as the popular international showcase returns for its sixth edition in a landmark week for American football in Ireland.
Coinciding with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic and just weeks before the NFL arrives in Dublin with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings, GIFT 2025 promises an even broader celebration of sport, featuring events across American football, rugby, and field hockey.
The tournament officially kicks off on Friday, August 22, with high school American football action at Energia Park in Donnybrook.
The Hun School from Princeton, New Jersey, will take on the NFL Academy from Loughborough, UK, at 3 pm, followed by a marquee matchup between Ireland’s U19 Wolfhounds and the Kiski School from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at 6.30pm.
This year, for the first time, GIFT will expand beyond the gridiron. A day earlier, on Thursday, August 21, Dublin’s Terenure College will host a triple-header of rugby featuring travelling boys and girls teams from Iowa alongside local opposition, including a U20’s clash between Iowa State University and Terenure.
That evening, the action shifts to UCD’s National Hockey Stadium for a field hockey showdown between a UCD Select Team and The Hun School, also with free admission.
The festivities begin even earlier on Sunday, August 17, when Global Football will hold a free American football coaching clinic at UCD’s Devlin Pitch for players and coaches registered with American Football Ireland. The session will be led by legendary American coaches, including Dwight Thomas (mentor to Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith) and John Storey (coach of Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard).
“This is more than a tournament—it’s a celebration of sport, culture, and education,” said Patrick Steenberge, founder and president of Global Football.
“We’re proud to bring these young athletes from across the U.S. and UK to Ireland, giving them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete, explore, and connect with local communities.”
GIFT has been held in partnership with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic since 2012, and visiting teams will conclude their trip by attending the game between Kansas State and Iowa State at Aviva Stadium on August 23.
Their itinerary includes a traditional American-style pep rally in Merrion Square, cultural excursions around Dublin, and a GAA experience where they’ll be introduced to Gaelic football and hurling.
The Global Ireland Football Tournament sets the stage for a massive autumn for U.S. sport in Ireland, with the NFL’s first-ever regular season game in Dublin just around the corner in September, when the Minnesota Vikings face the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
This tournament has been an access point for the sport here over more than a decade, building relationships and adding to the excitement of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic week. In Year One of the NFL in Dublin it is even more of an event to embrace.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic will take place on Saturday, August 23rd at the Aviva Stadium. The Pittsburgh Steelers against the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL will take place on Saturday, September 28th at Croke Park.
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