Northwestern will open the 2022 football season against Nebraska in Dublin, Ireland, the school announced Thursday.
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic will be played Aug. 27, 2022. The teams originally were supposed to play Oct. 8, 2022, at Ryan Field.
‘‘This is an incredible opportunity for our entire university community, from student-athletes to coaches, alumni and fans,’’ Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald said in a statement. ‘‘We are thrilled that our program will get to experience the beautiful Irish culture, while we continue to help grow the game of college football on a global stage. It’s an honor to be included in this once-in-a-lifetime event, and we can’t wait to have the Northwestern faithful join us in one of the world’s most amazing settings.’’
The Cornhuskers were scheduled to play Illinois this year in Dublin, but that game was moved to Champaign because of COVID-19 concerns.
‘‘The past year has been a very difficult one for us all in Ireland and in the United States,’’ Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said in a statement released by NU. ‘‘With our vaccination rollout advancing at pace, we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel, and we can begin to look forward with optimism to welcoming visitors safely back to our shores. When we do, we will have a very special welcome ready for the teams and their supporters when they visit us for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.’’
Tickets to the game are available through travel or hospitality packages. Fans can put down a $250 deposit for a travel package to secure their game ticket at Cats2Ireland.com.
‘‘We are excited to reschedule the trip to Ireland for our football program,’’ Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos said in a statement. ‘‘The young men in our program have been looking forward to this trip, and we are happy to provide them this memorable experience. I know our great Husker fan base will be excited, as well, and the opportunity to travel to Ireland to see their team compete on an international stage will truly be special.’’
