TCU, North Carolina to kick off 2026 in Ireland

Field Level Media|published: Tue 22nd April, 12:07 2025

Dec 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels new head coach Bill Belichick at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

TCU and North Carolina will kick off the 2026 college football season in Dublin, Ireland.

The Aer Lingus College Football Classic will be held at Aviva Stadium on Aug. 29, 2026.

This will be the first overseas game for both schools.

"It's a tremendous opportunity for our program and we're excited to represent the university and our fans on an international stage," first-year Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick said.

The Horned Frogs will be the designated home team, as the game originally was scheduled for Sept. 5, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas.

"This is more than just a football game. It's an opportunity to advance TCU's brand globally while having our student-athletes experience a unique educational opportunity and memory of a lifetime," TCU athletic director Mike Buddie said.

Georgia Tech edged Florida State 24-21 in the 2024 Aer Lingus Classic in Dublin, where the announced attendance was 47,998.

This season's matchup in the Irish capital will see Iowa State take on Kansas State on Aug. 23.

--Field Level Media