A DEAL to finally bring an NFL game to Croke Park could be announced as soon as this weekend with a match being planned for later this year.
The NFL and the GAA have been in talks to bring American football to Croker with negotiations now at an advanced stage.
Last May, the Irish Sun revealed that GAA President Jarlath Burns had travelled to Pittsburgh to meet with officials about bringing the Steelers to Croke Park for a match.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are owned by the Rooney family with former club President Dan Rooney previously serving as US Ambassador to Ireland under Barack Obama.
Dan Rooney has long campaigned for an annual NFL game in Ireland at Croke Park.
The Irish Sun understands that Sport Minister Patrick O’Donovan today updated the Cabinet on negotiations to bring American football to Croke Park.
Government sources said that a business case has been discussed between the Department of Sport and the NFL however, no deal has been signed yet.
It’s understood the GAA would like to hold the first American football game in September or October of this year with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers the likely line up.
This would be a full professional NFL league match similar to the games held in London every year.
The NFL are keen to expand the game here with hope that the Croke Park game would become an annual fixture in the football calendar.
While a deal is yet to be signed off, the Irish Sun understands that those involved in the discussions are hopeful of making an announcement this weekend ahead of the Super Bowl.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will fight it out in the Super Bowl on Sunday in what is one of the most watched sporting events in the world.
Ireland has never hosted an NFL game but the Aviva Stadium hosts college football once a year which is a regular sell-out and sees thousands of fans travel to the city.
The Steelers’ owners want to bring the NFL to Dublin with the Pittsburgh team previously playing a pre-season friendly in Croke Park in 1997.
