Many fans were surprised when the Minnesota Vikings schedule revealed that the team will play in back-to-back games in the NFL's International Series during the 2025 NFL season. It seemed like a poor decision on the front office of the franchise but it actually makes a lot of sense.
The game against the Steelers at Croke Park in Ireland in Week 4 and the contest against the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the UK in Week 5 both will serve as road games for Minnesota, giving them seven home games, six road games, and two games played at neutral locations.
For Ireland, this is this first opportunity to host a live NFL game and this is a great opportunity to get an understanding of the market available in the country as well as continue to spread the game of American Football worldwide.
Demand for tickets to watch the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers in Ireland is massive
Few analysts and experts could have anticipated the demand for tickets to watch the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers in Ireland. The initial demand for tickets far outweighs the capacity of Croke Park.
Croke Park is one of Europe's largest stadiums, with a capacity to host 82,300 fans. However, the Pat McAfee Show recently shared a video on X, revealing that the queue for buying tickets has over 600,000 people waiting and hoping to get tickets.
The tickets for the Vikings and Steelers game in Ireland are going on sale..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 17, 2025
There's over 600,000 people waiting in the queue#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/SINEWIsLlf
Excitement for this game increased greatly when quarterback Aaron Rodgers finally signed with the Steelers. The history between Rodgers and the Vikings, who won 14 games last season, gives the game a nice boost in appeaal.
This should be a competitive game featuring some of the biggest stars in the game. Not only does Ireland get to see players like Justin Jefferson, Aaron Rodgers, and T.J. Watt but they are also scheduled to see the fourth career start for J.J. McCarthy at quarterback.
The Vikings are 8-0 in the NFL's International Series entering the 2025 NFL season. The team has built a respectable fan base in the UK and should continue to see supporters emerge as the sport continues to spread worldwide.
As for the NFL, they should be pleased as punch about the demand for tickets to see Ireland's first NFL game. The fact so many people are excited to see this game should also help to establish the Minnesota Vikings as one of the hottest tickets in the league.