Fáilte, Steelers! Pittsburgh touch down in Dublin ahead of historic Croke Park game

The Pittsburgh Steelers arrived at Dublin Airport this morning on a specially chartered Aer Lingus Airbus A330 as the city prepares for Sunday’s historic regular season NFL game at Croke Park. The visit underlines the Rooney family’s long Irish roots and brings Steeler Nation to Dublin for a weekend of Black and Gold events across the capital.

The match marks the first time a regular season NFL game will be played on Irish soil and has drawn large numbers of traveling fans who are expected to turn parts of Dublin black and gold.

Susanne Carberry, Aer Lingus Chief Customer Officer, welcomed the arrival and framed the fixture as more than a sporting event. She said it was “a great privilege to welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers and Steeler Nation to Dublin for this history-making game at Croke Park - Ireland’s first ever NFL regular season game.”

Carberry added that the landing was especially meaningful because of the team’s links to Ireland through the Rooney family. She said “we take great pride in delivering a warm Irish welcome to all our customers and today is especially meaningful given the Steelers’ rich Irish heritage through the Rooney family.”

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth photographed with Aer Lingus cabin crew.

Steelers President Art Rooney II also reflected on the significance of the trip. He said “the opportunity for the Steelers to play in Ireland is truly special, both because of the Rooney family’s deep ties to the island and the chance to play in front of our passionate and growing Irish fans.”

Rooney noted that Aer Lingus as a partner will help “celebrate the bonds between Pittsburgh, Ireland, and the game of American football.”

To mark the team’s arrival Aer Lingus unveiled the Steel Bag, a hybrid food creation that blends the popular Irish spice bag with Pittsburgh favorites including melted cheese and meats. Steelers legend Brett Keisel was scheduled to serve the dish at Earlsfort Terrace from 12 noon to 3 pm today, adding a touch of hometown flavor to the festivities.

Fans will find activities across Dublin over the weekend, including a Steelers Fan Tailgate at Merrion Square presented by Aer Lingus with family friendly football themed attractions.

The airline is highlighting the event as part of its broader strategy to connect North America with Ireland through its Dublin hub. Aer Lingus operates 21 direct routes from North America to Ireland in 2025 and 70 routes from Europe and the UK to the Irish capital. The carrier plans two new transatlantic routes in 2026 to Cancún and Raleigh Durham.