Iowa State to Play It’s First Football Game Outside the U.S.

The Iowa State Cyclones have announced they will travel outside of the U.S. for a football game for the first time in 2025.

The Des Moines Register reports that the Cyclones will open up the 2025 football season against Kansas State at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The Aer Lingus College Football Classic will be played on August 23, 2025. Welcome to the Emerald Isle, Cyclone fans!

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The Register reports that the game will take place during Week Zero of the 2025 college football season. It will be the sixth college football game ever played at Dublin's 48,000-seat Aviva Stadium. It will be the Big 12's first game ever in Ireland and will be the first season-opening matchup between ISU and Kansas State.

Since Aviva Stadium opened in 2010, the Register reports previous college football games played there have included a pair of Notre Dame vs. Navy games, Georgia Tech vs. Boston College, and Nebraska vs. Northwestern in 2022. In a press release, Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said that they are "honored that Aer Lingus selected the Cyclones to participate in this prestigious game, which will afford a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our student-athletes to experience international travel while also helping to grow the game of college football outside of the United States."

Iowa State fans wishing to learn more about the game and sign up for updates about how to get tickets can go to Cyclones2Ireland.com. Tickets will become available in late May, according to the site.