After a long offseason, the only thing better than "Week 0" college football is "Week 0" college football played on foreign soil.
As part of the first weekend of the 2025 college football season, Kansas State and Iowa State will take the field in Dublin, Ireland, as part of one of college football's newer annual traditions.
This year marks the fourth consecutive year in which two teams will open their seasons in Ireland, and this year's matchup will have added significance as it will be a matchup between top-25 teams.
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Here is what you need to know about the matchup between Kansas State and Iowa State, including why they're playing in Dublin and a history of college football games played in Ireland.
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Why is Kansas State vs. Iowa State in Dublin?
Football games in Ireland are becoming an annual tradition and are the result of a pitch from Ireland in the 1980s.
The first-ever game in Ireland was played between Boston College and Army in 1988 and called the Emerald Isle Classic. Ireland hosted five more games between 1989 and 2012, and was called the Shamrock Classic and Croke Park Classic. The game has been called the Aer Lingus College Football Classic since 2016 and became an annual competition in 0222.
While Kansas State and Iowa State don't have traditional Irish ties like other programs that have played in Ireland, the top-25 programs will receive a large spotlight as the clash will take place in "Week 0," preceding the standard opening weekend for the majority of college football programs.
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Where is Kansas State vs. Iowa State being played?
Kansas State and Iowa State are playing at Aviva Stadium, the annual home of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic since 2022. Before then, the stadium hosted college football games in 2012 and 2016.
Arriva Stadium is typically the home of Irish men's soccer and rugby union teams. The venue has already securred games for the 2026 and 2027 college football seasons as well.
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College football games in Ireland
| Year | Result | Stadium |
| 1988 | Boston College 38, Army 24 | Lansdowne Road |
| 1989 | Pittsburgh 46, Rutgers 29 | Lansdowne Road |
| 1996 | Notre Dame 54, Navy 27 | Croke Park |
| 2012 | Notre Dame 50, Navy 10 | Aviva Stadium |
| 2014 | Penn State 26, UCF 24 | Croke Park |
| 2016 | Georgia Tech 17, Boston College 14 | Aviva Stadium |
| 2022 | Northwestern 31, Nebraska 28 | Aviva Stadium |
| 2023 | Notre Dame 42, Navy 3 | Aviva Stadium |
| 2024 | Georgia Tech 24, Florida State 21 | Aviva Stadium |
| 2025 | Iowa State vs. Kansas State | Aviva Stadium |
| 2026 | North Carolina vs. TCU | Aviva Stadium |
| 2027 | Pittsburgh vs. Wisconsin | Aviva Stadium |