On Tuesday, the first Minnesota Vikings schedule news for the 2025 NFL season was shared by the league when it was revealed that the team will be heading to Europe for a historic two-game road trip against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.
First, a Week 4 battle between the Vikings and Steelers will make history as it will be the first-ever NFL regular-season game to take place in Dublin, Ireland. Then, Minnesota will remain in Europe for Week 5 and head over to London, England, to take on former Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns.
In addition to making history as one of the first two NFL teams to play a regular-season game in Dublin, Ireland, Minnesota will also join the Jacksonville Jaguars as the only two teams in league history to take part in back-to-back international contests.
First 2025 Minnesota Vikings schedule news is packed with history
While there might be some Vikings fans who were potentially looking forward to traveling to Pittsburgh or Cleveland next season to watch the purple and gold, this two-game international road trip could end up benefitting Minnesota in a huge way.
Instead of having to play in front of two stadiums full of the opposing team's fan base, the Vikings will get to take on the Steelers and Browns on a neutral field. Pittsburgh and Cleveland will technically be the home teams for their matchups against Minnesota, but there's a good chance that Vikings fans will be able to make their presence felt in these contests.
It has been known since the conclusion of the 2024 campaign that Minnesota is going to have nine away opponents and eight home opponents next season. However, with two of their road games taking place in Europe, the Vikings will now have more home matchups than away matchups in the United States in 2025.
Since the NFL began to play regular-season games in international venues, we've learned over the years that Minnesota fans are located all over the world. So, in Weeks 4 and 5, the Vikings will need their international fans to take over the stadiums in Dublin and London to help increase the chances of achieving a pair of victories.