American Football, Rugby and Field Hockey Teams from Iowa, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ireland, and UK Bring a Celebration of Sport to Multiple Venues
TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2025 – DUBLIN, IRELAND – The Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT) returns to Dublin for a sixth time when high school American football teams traveling from Pittsburgh and New Jersey take on Irish and UK-based opponents at Energia Park in Donnybrook on Friday, August 22.
And there’s a bonus as GIFT expands across three sports and multiple venues to introduce inter-continental rugby and field hockey matches on Thursday, August 21.
The GIFT games have been played since 2012 in association with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, which this year sees Iowa State play Kansas State at the Aviva Stadium on August 23.
The Hun School from Princeton, New Jersey will take on the Loughborough (UK) based NFL Academy at 3pm at Energia Park on Friday, August 22, to kick off the GIFT American football action. The home team Ireland Under-19 Wolfhounds face Kiski School from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at 6.30pm. Tickets priced €20 (adults) and €10 (students) are on sale at the LeinsterRugby.ie website. Admission is free for children.
For local rugby fans, there will be a free admission triple-header played at Terenure College on Thursday, August 21. At 5pm on adjacent fields, Terenure will take on Bondurant-Farrar High School (Bondurant, Iowa) boys, and a girls’ match features Terenure and Southeast Polk High School (Pleasant Hill, Iowa). At 7pm, the Iowa State University rugby XV faces the Terenure Under 20s.
Later that evening field hockey debuts under the GIFT umbrella when the National Hockey Stadium at University College Dublin hosts a UCD Select Team vs The Hun School at 8pm, admission free.
To aid American football development in Ireland and integrate the sport’s community into the GIFT event, Global Football will hold a free Coaching Clinic open to all players and coaches registered with American Football Ireland at 1pm on Sunday, August 17 on the Devlin Pitch at UCD.
“We’re excited to offer Irish sports fans another great showcase of overseas teams to see how they measure up against local opposition, this time across multiple sports,” said Global Football founder and president Patrick Steenberge. “Ultimately these teams are excited to play American football, rugby and field hockey in Dublin, thousands of miles from home in some cases, but they will also experience a new culture and explore the wonderful nation of Ireland during the trip of a lifetime.”
The traveling teams will arrive in Ireland from August 20 and will tour Dublin during their stay, including a GAA Experience, giving them a firsthand taste of Gaelic football and hurling. They will enjoy a welcome dinner and an American style Pep Rally that will feature some of the teams’ bands and cheerleaders along with traveling family and friends. Visting teams will conclude their stay by watching Kansas State against Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
Global Ireland Football Tournament Schedule
Sunday, August 17
University College Dublin, Devlin Pitch, 1pm
Coaching Clinic for players and coaches registered with teams within the American Football Ireland federation. American coaches conducting the clinic will include Dwight Thomas (high school coach of Dallas Cowboys Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith), Mike Creaney (former Notre Dame tight end), John Storey (high school coach of Heisman Trophy winner and Super Bowl XXXI MVP Desmond Howard), Patrick Steenberge (former Notre Dame quarterback), and Mitch Osadchuk (played college football at Adrian College and Tech Monterrey Puebla).
Thursday, August 22
Pep Rally, Merrion Square, Dublin, 5pm
American-style Pep Rally featuring student-athletes, coaches, marching bands and cheerleaders from GIFT participating schools. Open to the public.
Rugby at Terenure College (Templeogue Rd, Terenure, Dublin, D6W DK72)
5pm Southeast Polk High School Girls (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) vs Terenure
5pm Bondurant-Farrar High School Boys (Bondurant, Iowa) vs Terenure
7pm Iowa State University vs Terenure U20s
Field hockey at the National Hockey Stadium, University College Dublin
(UCD Belfield, Dublin 4)
8pm The Hun School girls field hockey vs UCD Select Team
Friday, August 22
American football at Energia Park (4 Donnybrook Rd, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, D04 W6R9)
3pm The Hun School (Princeton, NJ) vs NFL Academy (UK)
6.30pm Ireland U19 Wolfhounds vs Kiski School (Pittsburgh, PA)
Tickets priced €20 (adults) and €10 (students) are on sale at the Leinster Rugby website. Admission is free for children.
About Global Football: The world’s largest exporter of American football since 1996. We have organized and produced games and events in 29 different countries on 6 continents.
The events and tours have involved more than 400 teams 20,000 curious travelers, each encountering a positive life-changing experience, while enjoying the ultimate team-building opportunity.
We provide amateur student athletes of all ages, and their coaches and families, the chance to travel and learn. These amazing experiences provide participants with exceptional exposure to unique cultures and lands. To add to this extraordinary opportunity, they get to play sports, competing against a local international team, or another American squad.
Media Contact: Michael Preston michael@whatcheerpr.com / +1-781-363-0305