K-State Nation is headed to Ireland as the Wildcats will open the 2025 season against Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

“We are thrilled that Kansas State University and our football program have been selected to play Iowa State in the annual Aer Lingus College Football Classic,” K-State Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. “The opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni and fans to visit one of the world’s top travel destinations and to showcase our football program and brand on a global stage was one we could not pass up. We appreciate the Aer Lingus College Football Classic team for making this unbelievable experience possible, and I know our team, coaches and fans are eager to begin preparations for the trip to Dublin.”

Minister for Tourism, Catherine Martin said, "I welcome the news that Kansas State University and Iowa State University have been chosen to play the fourth game in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic series. This event is now a firm fixture in the Irish sporting calendar and provides a huge boost to tourism and hospitality in Ireland and indeed creates a great atmosphere in Dublin for visitors and locals alike. We look forward to welcoming the teams and supporters to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin and beyond, as they go on to explore other parts of Ireland, in August 2025."

As title sponsor, Aer Lingus is responsible for transporting the teams and their delegations to Dublin on dedicated chartered flights. Aer Lingus, the Irish flag carrier, operates from 17 North America destinations direct to Ireland as well as offer seamless connections to Europe for U.S. travelers via its hub at Dublin airport.

“The Aer Lingus College Football Classic provides us with a unique opportunity to drive awareness of the Aer Lingus brand in our key North American market,” said Susanne Carberry, Aer Lingus Chief Customer Officer. “We have a proud history of connecting the U.S. and Ireland – flying to 17 destinations in North America this summer – and we are committed to growing this transatlantic network so we can continue connecting North America to Ireland and Europe through our Dublin hub. The Aer Lingus College Football Classic draws substantial numbers of American visitors and gives the opportunity to showcase Ireland as a destination through this exciting event. We look forward to welcoming both the Kansas State University and Iowa State teams to Ireland for the game in 2025.”

The game between the Wildcats and Iowa State Cyclones will be the first ever Big 12 matchup in Ireland, and the 10th college football game ever played in Dublin. It will be the fourth-straight year that the Aer Lingus College Football Classic will serve as a Week 0 game as Northwestern defeated Nebraska in 2022 and Notre Dame topped Navy last year, while Georgia Tech and Florida State will meet this year on August 24.

K-State’s series with Iowa State has featured two neutral-site matchups with the Wildcats winning both the 2009 and 2010 meetings at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. This will be just the second time ever that K-State will play a football game outside the United States.

“We are delighted to be in a position to welcome K-State and Iowa State to Ireland next year. As the European Home of College Football, the 2025 game will mark the fourth edition of this fantastic series. Our aim is to make these games a permanent fixture in the US college football and Irish Tourism and Sporting Calanders.” said Padraic O’Kane, Co-Founder and Director of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. 

“We couldn’t be more excited to be chosen to play in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic,” K-State head coach Chris Klieman said. “Our players and staff are excited to expose our program to a global audience, and the cultural experience will also be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of Wildcat Nation.”

The Aer Lingus College Football Classic aims to bring American college football to Ireland each year to promote Ireland as a travel destination, and 2025 will be the fourth-consecutive season that college football begins its season with a game in Dublin. Georgia Tech and Florida State will kick off the 2024 season in Ireland with in excess of 21,000 U.S. fans confirmed to travel overseas for game week. ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot will be on hand for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, broadcasting live from Dublin on Saturday, August 24.

Travel and Hospitality Packages with game tickets for the 2025 game are now available at Cats2Ireland.com and Cyclones2Ireland.com.

General tickets for this year’s 2024 game which will see Georgia Tech take on Florida State University can be purchased on www.ticketmaster.ie/collegefootball and more information can be found at Aer Lingus College Football Classic across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for any updates over the coming weeks and months.