The recent Aer Lingus College Football Classic held at Dublin's Aviva Stadium delivered strong viewership figures as well as a significant direct economic impact estimated by Grant Thornton’ s preliminary report to be valued in excess of €130 million, highlighting Ireland's growing reputation as a prime destination for international sporting events.

The highly anticipated game, which saw Kansas State University’s ‘Wildcats’ go head-to-head with Iowa State University’s ‘Cyclones’ in a down to the wire finish, was broadcast live on ESPN in the United States with a peak of 4.7 million viewers and was the most watched game of “week zero.”

With an average of 4.01 million viewers, the Cyclones win in Ireland was the second-most watched sports telecast of the entire weekend behind the main portion of Sunday’s TOUR Championship final round on NBC. The majority of the viewers were from the states of Kansas and Iowa, providing a new audience to the island of Ireland.

The Cyclones clinched a hard-fought win over K-State's Wildcats ending the game 24 - 21 with their quarter back Rocco Becht receiving the Aer Lingus Player of The Match for his gutsy performance.

The Aviva Stadium was a sell-out with 47,226 fans in attendance. 25,999 international visitors travelled for the game, of these, 22,910 were U.S. visitors who stayed in Ireland for an average of seven nights, significantly contributing to the local economy. An additional 3,089 visitors came from 19 other countries, highlighting the global appeal of the event.

To add to the fanfare, this year also witnessed the debut of ‘Celtic The Brave’, the official new mascot for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic as the game and traditions continue to grow with intrigue and excitement across Ireland.

The festivities around the game extended far beyond the pitch, with 40+ business, academic, political, community, social and sporting events taking place throughout the week as part of the ‘Much More Than A Game’ initiative. These activities have fostered strong international ties and generated a substantial economic impact.

“What we witnessed was the essence of sport through two sets of clashing fans delivering a once in a lifetime atmosphere inside The Aviva Stadium” said Padraic O’Kane, Co-Founder of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. 

“This year’s sold-out stadium and strong viewership figures highlights the growing global appeal and further cements Dublin as the European Home of College Football.  The Classic is truly #MuchMoreThanAGame and we saw this across game week as the spirit and passion of college football took over not only Dublin but the Island of Ireland. The immediate and long-term economic benefits to Ireland are significant, and we are excited to build on this momentum in the years ahead.”

Official Travel Packages curated by On Location provided Kansas State and Iowa State fans with the ultimate game week experience, blending sport and local culture through premium seating, exclusive welcome parties, regional excursions across Ireland, guided tours, hotel stays in the heart of the city and more. Demand for immersive travel experiences to the Aer Lingus College Football Classic continues to rise, with On Location experiencing a 12% year-over-year increase in sales of 3-7+ day experiences.

"The Aer Lingus College Football Classic is such a highly anticipated kick-off of the college football season,” said John Anthony, Co-Founder of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic and Executive VP of On Location. “Our guests witnessed a highly competitive matchup between two ranked teams with College Football Playoff aspirations and thoroughly enjoyed the unmatched charm and wonder of Ireland. It is a truly unique experience, and we are already looking forward to next season's clash between TCU and UNC."

Looking ahead, the announcement of the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic between Texas Christian University (TCU), who serve as the home team, and University of North Carolina (UNC), further builds on this momentum. UNC are led by eight-time Super Bowl Champion Bill Belichick who has drafted and crafted players such as Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. The fixture, scheduled for Saturday August 29th 2026, promises to deliver another exceptional weekend of sport and cultural exchange in Dublin.