Ireland’s Tánaiste Micheál Martin welcomed supporters from Georgia Tech and Florida State University to Ireland on Friday ahead of Saturday’s Aer Lingus College Football Classic Game in Dublin.
The Georgia Tech - Florida State University match up on Saturday will be the ninth NCAA-sanctioned American college football game since the inaugural game in 1988 to mark the Dublin millennium.
Georgia Tech returns to Dublin for a second visit following their victory against Boston College in 2016, while this game will be the first on Irish soil for Florida State University.
Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs says that the college football game will act as a catalyst for a programme of cultural, economic, and political engagements and events.
Speaking ahead of the game, the Tánaiste said on Friday: “2024 is an important year as we mark 100 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the US.
"The strength of the bilateral relationship is largely rooted in the many links between Irish and American people, and the Government is pleased to welcome fans from both teams to Dublin, with some 25,000 American spectators expected to travel for the sell-out game.
“Among the football fans travelling, the Government looks forward to welcoming trade delegations and bipartisan delegations of both federal and state-level politicians, providing an opportunity for exchanges between Ireland and US counterparts."
The Tánaiste added, “The College Football Classic reinforces the strong relationship between America and Ireland and the Government hopes that our visitors will experience a warm Irish welcome I wish both teams the very best of luck in the game.”
Earlier in August, organizers said 47,000 tickets had been sold for this year's Aer Lingus College Classic, making the event a sell-out for the second year in a row.
That figure includes over 25,000 Americans who will journey to the nation’s capital to attend ‘week zero’ of the US college football season.
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic has consistently boosted Ireland’s economy, according to Grant Thornton’s Post-Game Economic Impact Reports. Last year’s game between Navy and Notre Dame generated a record €180 million for the local Irish economy, while organizers have projected an economic impact in excess of €115 million for this year’s game.
The event is much more than just the football game, with events running from Thursday through Sunday. Pubs in Dublin are being transformed into 'tailgating' pubs and Smithfield Square is being renamed Seminoles Square for the Florida fanbase.
Meanwhile, the Heisman Trophy - awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football - has traveled overseas for the first time, set to be displayed on Saturday, game day.
How to watch the 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic
The 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic kicks off at 5 pm IST / 12 pm EST on Saturday, August 24. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats at the Aviva Stadium by 4:30 pm.
ESPN will be providing coverage of the 'Week Zero' game in the US.
For the first time ever, ESPN's "College GameDay" will be aired from an international location, College Green outside Trinity College. The live pre-game coverage, which will feature a live audience in Dublin, will begin at 9 am EST.
Then, fans can tune in on ESPN and ESPN+ via the ESPN streaming hub to watch the Seminoles take on the Yellow Jackets.
Ireland's Irish language channel TG4 has also confirmed that it will broadcast the 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic, marking the first time the match will be broadcast live on free-to-air television in Ireland, while Sky Sports will cover the game in the UK.
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