MUCH MORE THAN A GAME.
The Global Ireland Football Tournament (G.I.F.T.) dates back to 2012, when 12 teams decided to travel to the Emerald Isle and showcase their talents. The event was declared an unprecedented success as more than 13,000 spectators flocked to three venues to enjoy the spectacle of high school and college American football teams, bands, cheerleaders and dancers in action in a special Dublin Friday Night Lights event organized by Global Football.
2026 will mark the 7th installment of G.I.F.T. as four teams are currently committed to play on August 28, the day before TCU plays UNC in Aviva Stadium.
Since 2012, the G.I.F.T. event has welcomed 48 different school teams, from fourteen states and four nations. The event has taken place in Dublin, Ireland six different times (2012, 2014, 2016, 2023, 2024, and 2025). The event runs alongside the FBS opener, the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. It includes a week’s worth of cultural and experiential learning activities, mixed with practices, a pep rally, parade and global media coverage.
Browse our website to learn more about previous G.I.F.T. events!