THE popularity of American football is on the rise in Ireland.
While collegiate American football had done the same before, October 2025 marked the first time a National Football League (NFL) game was played in Dublin, as the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers went head to head at Croke Park.
Amassing a crowd of 74,512 and generating €104.5m for the Irish economy, the hype surrounding the sport in Ireland was present for all to see.
Stateside, the NFL has become home to Irish players such as Charlie Smyth, who kicked a record five field goals for the New Orleans Saints in December 2025.
Considered its non-contact alternative, flag football, also increasing in popularity, has become a popular choice of sport amongst Irish youth.
In March 2026, New York Jets linebackers Jamien Sherwood and Marcelino McCrary-Ball were in Dublin to kick-start the second year of the Jets NFL Girls Flag League in Ireland. In the past year alone, participation has doubled to 16 schools and 160 girls aged 12 to 15 in Dublin.
“I think it could help boost it tremendously,” New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood said, on how the league could raise the profile of the NFL in Ireland.
“This is the second year of the Jets NFL Girls Flag League here in Dublin and the participation has doubled to 16 schools across Dublin, which is great to see.”
Set to become an event at the Summer Olympics for the first time at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, flag football is gaining more recognition internationally, something Sherwood is passionate about.
“The fact that they’re bringing it to the Olympics, and it’s a lot of girls here today, the more girls that come and try the sport, then over time you’re going to be able to put together a nice flag football team.
“So go and compete against all the other countries. And again, bring a medal home.”
On its own, flag football is considered to be one of the world’s fastest-growing sports amongst women. For instance, in January 2026, America’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) added flag football to its “Emerging Sports for Women Program”, a strategic initiative designed to grow athletic opportunities for women, with the aim of one day giving flag football full NCAA championship status.
Bearing this in mind, there is a possibility that, in the future, after the sport is given full championship status, academic institutions in the U.S. could provide scholarships to youth flag football players, making the existence of the Jets NFL Girls Flag League that much more significant for Ireland.
Indeed, according to Sherwood, Dublin’s youth are full of talent.
“They’ve been putting me to work,” he said.
“They’re pulling my flag, I can’t pull their flag, they’re catching the ball over me. There’s a lot of talent here. As we keep practising, repetition, consistency, and just being dedicated to the sport, the girls will get better day in, day out.”
See More: Flag Football, Ireland, New York Jets
