The NFL announced its slate of international games for the 2025 season on Tuesday from Dublin Castle, with the capital at the forefront of discussion.
America's game will roll into town on Sunday 28 September, when the Pittsburgh Steelers welcome the Minnesota Vikings to Croke Park for the first regular season game on the island of Ireland.
There is no doubt that the 2025 NFL Dublin Game will be one of the largest international sporting events to ever take place here, with an extensive tourism boost expected.
In February, the Irish Government told RTÉ Sport that it has committed to providing just short of €10m in State funding for the event - to cover a licence fee, security, transport and other costs around the venue - following "extensive discussions and negotiations with the NFL, which included a comprehensive assessment of costs and benefits."
The yearly Aer Lingus College Football Classic series has seen a considerable financial benefit in recent year, with Kansas State set to face Iowa State this August in Aviva Stadium.
One month later, Dublin will join the likes of London, Madrid, Berlin and Sao Paulo as NFL host cities.
Dublin's debut in September will be a moment nearly 30 years in the making, with the Steelers last playing in Ireland as part of a preseason game against the Chicago Bears in 1997. The team have not played overseas since 2013, when they ironically faced the Minnesota Vikings at Wembley Stadium, losing 34-27.
Much of the build-up to the game will now be dominated by whether former Green Bay Packers and New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers will join the Steelers, while on the other side the Vikings enter 2025 with a sense of renewed optimism after a 14-3 season.
"Playing in Ireland's first-ever NFL game is an opportunity to introduce new fans to the Minnesota Vikings and help the league continue to make the game of football more accessible globally," said Vikings owner and president Mark Wilf.
"To do so against a storied franchise like the Pittsburgh Steelers adds a unique challenge that makes this even more special.
"We are honoured to be selected for this historic game and will be anxious to see what promises to be an electric gameday environment in Croke Park."
NFL UK general manager Henry Hodgson, who spoke to RTÉ Sport at GAA headquarters, indicated that Dublin could possibly become a regular outpost for games, a la London.
"Theoretically, yes," Hodgson said of such a possible scenario. "What we've said, and the commitment we've made to the Irish Government, who we've been working with and who have been an incredible partner through this, is that afterwards we're going to collectively evaluate everything that happens.
"For them, the economic and social impact of this game. For us, how smoothly does this run? What type of experience did the teams have?
"We'll sit down after then and make an evaluation."
In territories both at home and abroad, the role of taxpayer subsidies for a multi-billion sporting behemoth draws considerable scrutiny, with reports on the net benefit to local economies often hotly contested.
However, Hodgson was unequivocal on the importance of the €10m injection from the State coffers.
"It's a condition of us going to any market," he admitted. "That's how we work with local governments and local stakeholders, but it obviously isn't the only money going to this.
"We, as the NFL and the clubs involved, put a significant investment into the games, too."
The clamour to secure tickets will soon begin as fans of the sport – be they veterans or neophytes – make their own investment.
"From a ticket price perspective, we're going to inform people who have signed up to our register of interest when ticket prices are going to go on sale," Hodgson added. "At that point, we'll then show them what the ticket prices are.
"We want to make sure that there's an entry level opportunity for new people, who perhaps haven't experienced an NFL game before, to come here.
"They'll range from about €85 all the way up to the top tickets for hospitality at around €200.
"People can sign up now to nfl.com/dublin, that's how you can register your interest in purchasing tickets.
"Those people will, in the next week to 10 day, get information on the dates that those tickets will go on sale, then the sale itself will take place in mid to late June."
