Notre Dame's last game played in Ireland, in 2012, attracted over 35k visitors. Now the Fighting Irish will play their first-ever home game in Ireland, the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in August 2023.
The University of Notre Dame will play on foreign soil when Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, hosts the Fighting Irish and the Naval Academy for the 96th meeting in this storied rivalry, University Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick announced. The game will take place on August 26, 2023, and be broadcast on NBC and simul-streamed on Peacock.
The Fighting Irish were originally scheduled to play Navy in Ireland in 2020 but the Covid-19 pandemic forced the game to be canceled. Both teams made quick work of scheduling another opportunity to head overseas.
“We’re thrilled to be able to provide another opportunity for our team and fans to experience the culture and hospitality of Ireland,” said Swarbrick, in a statement released by Notre Dame. “This trip overseas continues to strengthen our academic and athletic presence around the globe. Bringing a Notre Dame football home game atmosphere to Ireland has been a goal of ours and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with the Naval Academy to make it happen.”
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“The past year and a half have been challenging for us all in Ireland and the United States. Today’s announcement that Notre Dame will play its first-ever home game in Ireland against Navy is extremely exciting and welcome news,” said Taoiseach (Ireland Prime Minister) Micheál Martin.
“The movement of this game to Ireland will provide a significant boost to our tourism and hospitality industries. We will have a very special welcome ready for the teams and supporters of Notre Dame and Navy when they visit us for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in August 2023.”
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish lined out in Dublin, in 2012.
Navy v Notre Dame
The Navy-Notre Dame rivalry was the longest continuous intersectional rivalry in college football before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 meeting, with the two schools having met every year since 1927. In addition to playing the 2023 game in Ireland, Swarbrick and Chet Gladchuk, Director of Athletics at Navy, have also entered into an agreement to extend the series until 2032.
“We are very pleased to be returning to Aviva Stadium in Dublin for the 96th playing of the Navy-Notre Dame game,” said Gladchuk.
“In 2012, it was one of the greatest airlifts in all of sports with more than 35,000 people coming from the United States to witness the beauty of Ireland and the pageantry that is a Navy-Notre Dame football weekend. We expect just as many people to return in 2023. The Navy fan-based support and enthusiasm for this game in Ireland is already overwhelming and with the ongoing support of the Prime Minister and the Irish government, it will again be an extraordinary experience. We look forward to our visit and a competitive contest against Notre Dame in a country that knows no bounds for hospitality.”
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Notre Dame and Navy will jointly apply for an NCAA waiver to move this contest to August 26, 2023, from its originally scheduled date. This follows the same pattern as the canceled 2020 game in Ireland.
The 94th meeting between the two schools will take place on Saturday, Nov. 6, at Notre Dame Stadium. The kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be seen nationally on NBC and streamed on peacock.
Swarbrick will be joined by Ireland Consul General Kevin Byrne and NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico for a 10:30 a.m. ET press conference on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. What the press conference here:
Notre Dame now has 11 of its 12 games set for the 2023 season. Here is Notre Dame's set schedule for the 2023 season:
Aug. 26 - vs. Navy (Dublin, Ireland)
Sep. 16 - Central Michigan (Home)
Sep. 23 - Ohio State (Home)
Oct. 14 - USC (Home)
Oct. 28 - Wake Forest (Home)
Nov. 4 - at Clemson
Nov. 25 - at Stanford.
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