The Wisconsin Badgers will open the 2027 season against Pittsburgh in Ireland, UW Athletics announced on Tuesday. For just the second time in program history, the Wisconsin football team will play a game on international soil at the “Aer Lingus College Football Classic” on Aug. 28, 2027 at Aviva Stadium located in Dublin, Ireland.
“It’s exciting for our student-athletes, their families and our fans who will be able to have such a unique experience,” UW Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh said in a statement. “We talk all the time about the opportunities available to the student-athletes at Wisconsin and this is another example. Visiting another country and playing a quality opponent will be memorable for all involved and we are looking forward to it!”
The game in Ireland will be a road game for the Badgers who will host Pitt at Camp Randall Stadium in 2026 as part of a two-game series with the Panthers. Wisconsin’s only other game in a foreign country came in 1993 in a 41-20 win over Michigan State in the Coca-Cola Bowl in Tokyo, Japan.
“We look forward to welcoming two respected universities in the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Wisconsin and their notable football programs to Dublin in 2027,” said Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. “We anticipate an exciting week of leisure, business, academic and sporting events leading up to the game in line with our ‘Much More Than A Game’ ethos.”
