For months now, we have known which teams the Vikings will play against next season. For most games, we even knew the “where”. But recently, rumors turned into reports that, not only was Minnesota expected to go overseas for a game outside the USA for the second-straight year… but they were likely to do it twice.

That’s right, one year after flying to the UK for a game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, where they earned their eighth-straight international victory over Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets, the Vikings woke up this morning expecting to play two games in that same area in 2025.

Minnesota Vikings taking extended European business trip in 2025

Last season, they played in London Week 5. One year later, they’ll play at the exact same location in Week 5 yet again, this time against the Cleveland Browns. The week before, however, they’ll just a 30-minute plane ride away, in Dublin Ireland, where they will play road team vs the Browns’ AFC North rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers (and maybe Aaron Rodgers again?).

Dublin then London! 🇮🇪🇬🇧

The #Vikings will become the first NFL team to play in back-to-back international games in different countries in 2025.https://t.co/DvUUNxFkso pic.twitter.com/1o0005Ma6Q

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) May 13, 2025

The game against Pittsburgh will be the first game ever played in Ireland. The NFL will take over Croke Park in Dublin for the event. It is the headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association and has a capacity of 82,300, which is nearly 10,000 more than U.S. Bank Stadium, which holds 73,000 people.

Related: How Many 2025 MN Vikings Draft Picks Will Make the Final 53-Man Roster?

Yes, it’s possible that the Steelers, as the Jets did last year, will have Aaron Rodgers under center for their overseas contest against the Minnesota Vikings. The future Hall of Famer has yet to sign with a team, and Pittsburgh remains his most likely landing spot.

Set your alarm, Dublin. The NFL is coming to town! 💚

Your official 2025 NFL Dublin Game 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/JYMFY6zIPe

— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) May 13, 2025

Vikings International Itinerary: Dublin (IE) –> London (UK)

Pittsburgh, theoretically, should be the tougher opponent of these two. But that’s largely because Kevin Stefanski’s Browns currently look like a dumpster fire. They brought back veteran Joe Flacco and drafted rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

Meanwhile, the most expensive asset in franchise history, Deshaun Watson, is expected to miss most of the season after re-tearing his achilles in October… and they aren’t even mad about it.

So in 2025, the Minnesota Vikings will become the first NFL team ever to play back-to-back games overseas. On its face, that seems like a sizable undertaking on the surface, but in reality, it could be a blessing in disguise for Kevin O’Connell & Co.

Overseas stretch should actually benefit the 2025 MN Vikings

Not only do both the Steelers and Browns look like two teams in complete disarray, but both international contests will also turn two of Minnesota’s road games this season, into neutral site games (where they have completely dominated going all the way back to 1983).

Those who know the history understand that the MN Vikings are probably the greatest overseas NFL team… ever. Not only are they undefeated in four regular season international games, but Minnesota has won all four of its’ exhibition games abroad too.

The Vikings are indeed playing consecutive int'l games: 9/28 in Dublin (vs. Steelers) + 10/5 in London (vs. Browns). They avoid trips to Heinz Field, where they've never won, and to Cleveland (1 win since 1989). They're 4-0 in London. But 10ish days abroad will be tough.

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) May 13, 2025

Because they are playing in back-to-back weeks, the Vikings don’t have to make a trip back stateside, between contests, either. Instead, they can settle in early, knowing it’s a long trip. Hell, they’ll pretty much be the Irish/British Vikings by the time week five is done.

It stands to reason that the Minnesota Vikings will get their by week immediately following their extended stay overseas. That would mean another early week six bye, just like in 2024.

Then, as soon as those Irish Vikings vs Pittsburgh Steelers rumors turned into credible reports, an even harder-to-believe scenario bubbled to the surface. Not only were the Minnesota Vikings expected to play week four in Dublin, but there were whispers behind the scenes that they could play two games overseas in the same season.

Rumors:

Vikes play Steelers in Dublin- YAY!!!

Vikes play next game in London- NAY!!!

— Ben Leber (@nacholeber) May 5, 2025

How could something like this even cross the league’s mind? Well, because two of Minnesota’s scheduled AFC North road opponents in 2025 — the Steelers and the Cleveland Browns — both have international home games on their schedule, in close proximity to one another.

Minnesota Vikings 2025 European Double-Header Locked In…

So, when the NFL decided that the Vikings were the best overseas option on the Steelers’ schedule, for their game in Dublin, Ireland… they thought, why not have them hop over the Irish Sea, for another game just 583 KILOMETERS east — one hour plane ride that costs as little as $38 — for another game against the Browns back at Tottenham Hotspur, in London?

As of Friday afternoon, it appears that’s exactly what the NFL has decided to do. Over the last 12-24 hours, the MN Vikings’ 2025 international double-header has become one of the NFL’s worst-kept secrets.

Late Thursday afternoon, Arif Hassan (wideleft.football) tweeted it out as being all but official. On Friday morning, the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling tweeted the same thing. Both matchups will be road games, and thus not affect Minnesota’s home schedule in 2025, unlike their british cameo last season.

Hearing that the Vikings will be playing internationally in back to back weeks:

• at Steelers Week 4 in Dublin at Croke Park
• at Cleveland Week 5 in London at Tottenham

— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) May 8, 2025

From what I’ve heard over the past couple weeks, it appears likely the #Vikings will play back-to-back international games this fall.

They have road games against the Steelers and Browns this year; the Steelers host in Dublin and the Browns are in London. It would be the…

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) May 9, 2025

In its 65 year history, the Minnesota Vikings football team has never lost a game on international soil — a perfect 8-0, (4-0 in the regular season). Now, they’ll get a chance to defend that perfect overseas W/L record, first in Ireland, then back to the UK for their second game at the iconic Tottenham Hotspur stadium, in just as many seasons.

Related: Minnesota Vikings’ Greatest Position of Need – Per Mr. DVOA

As already mentioned at the top of this article, Kevin O’Connell & Co played in the iconic European football stadium last October, against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Giants. That game, as we all know, finished in a 23-17 week five Vikings victory.

In 2025, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers’ turn to lose a home game to Europe. Their overseas assignment: Dublin, Ireland. But which team would fly out to the land of potatoes and whiskey to play as Pittsburgh’s “road” opponent? Well, that’s where the MN Vikings come in.

Week 4: Minnesota Vikings @ Pittsburgh Steelers – Dublin, Ireland

After the process of elimination — along with some rumors that surfaced a couple months ago — the Vikings were one of only a few road opponents on the Steelers’ 2025 schedule that fit into that Ireland time/schedule slot.

But late Sunday, rumors turned into reports when Pittsburgh sports radio host Andrew Fillipponi — 93.7 FM – The Fan — tweeted out that sources tell him the Pittsburgh Steelers “will host the Vikings”, not the Green Bay Packers, on September 28 (week 4).

Source: The Steelers will host the Vikings in Ireland on September 28th. Not the Packers. Contrary to popular belief. pic.twitter.com/2leihsaGpj

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) May 4, 2025

Originally, Green Bay made sense as the Steelers’ international road opponent in 2025, especially after the Packers were recently awarded international marketing rights in in Ireland.

But when they got serious about adding Aaron Rodgers, their home game vs his former team became way too big of a deal to export overseas. If Rodgers were to land in Pittsburgh, that’s a revenge party they’d want to host domestically, and in the Steel City.

Related: NFL Exec Predicts the Rise of Sam Howell in Minnesota… and JJ McCarthy’s Demise?

The Minnesota Vikings are undefeated in seven total international games since 1983, including 4-0 in preseason games and 3-0 internationally in the regular season. The Steelers and Vikings have not faced each other since 2021, Mike Zimmer’s final year as head coach. Minnesota won that game, 36-28.

Other storylines for Vikings vs Steelers

How wild would it be if the Vikings get a chance to knock off Rodgers overseas two years in a row? Last season, with the Jets, Minnesota held Rodgers to 29-of-54 passing and forced him into three interceptions. This offseason, the Steelers have added talented wideout D.K. Metcalf to their offensive attack.

They also replaced veteran running back Najee Harris with Iowa rookie Kaleb Johnson. Prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings were tied plenty to Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, who the Steelers selected in the first round.

As two of the league’s premier brands, we can probably expect more games overseas involving both the Steelers and Vikings in the future. Last year, the NFL played games in Brazil, the United Kingdom and Germany. This year, they are playing in all three of those countries again, and adding two more (Ireland and Spain).

The MN Vikings raved about their time in London last season. The only problem was that overseas contest also took a home game away from fans at U.S. Bank Stadium, which is why many fans will be surprised to hear that their Vikings could very well be heading back to Europe again next season.

In his most recent Vikings Access newsletter for the Star Tribune, longtime beat writer Ben Goessling advanced the Vikings overseas rumors further. Don’t worry, the NFL has indicated that each team will only have to give up one home game to an overseas matchup every eight seasons.

Ireland in play for Minnesota Vikings

According to his report, Minnesota has three opponents on the schedule who will play international home games in 2025 (Chargers, Browns, Steelers). But the opponent to keep the closest eye on a game in Ireland vs the Steelers.

The NFL wanted to send the Packers to play overseas vs Pittsburgh, since Green Bay is the official NFL partner there, but a potential matchup between Aaron Rodgers — should he become a Steeler — vs his former team is too enticing of a game to move overseas to Dublin.

And that is where the Minnesota Vikings come in. They too have a road game vs the Pittsburgh Steelers on their 2025 schedule, along with a rather large following in Ireland and the surrounding European countries.

“The Vikings went to London last year; could they fly across the Atlantic Ocean for a road game this fall too? They play three teams that host international games this year; the possibility of them opening the season in Brazil against the Chargers sounded remote at the owners’ meetings, and the Vikings might not return to London to face the Browns there for a second time. The game worth keeping an eye on, in fact, might be the one against the Steelers.

Pittsburgh will host the NFL’s first game in Dublin this fall, and while the Packers (who just earned international marketing rights in Ireland) have been rumored as a possible opponent, it’s believed the Steelers might want to keep the Packers game in Pittsburgh – especially if it’s Aaron Rodgers facing his former team. That could leave the Vikings, Bills, or Seahawks as possible opponents for the Steelers in Ireland. We’ll learn the matchups in the coming weeks, but the possibility of a Dublin game for the Vikings seemed plausible this week.”

Access Vikings

International games have been kind to the Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are no stranger to playing games overseas. The next one will technically be their ninth. They’ve played four regular season games and four preseason games. Their record in those eight contests: 8-0.

All eight games have taken place in London, but it sounds like that could change as soon as next season. The NFL continues to expand its footprint in different countries, a mission that isn’t slowing down anytime soon. 2025 will be the league’s first time playing in Ireland.

It wouldn’t be the first time Minnesota has played Pittsburgh overseas, though. In 2013, the Vikings were the home team for a game at Wembley Stadium vs the Steelers. Their 34-27 victory that year was orchestrated by Matt Cassel and featured Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson. Both players recorded a pair of touchdowns on the day.

Adrian Peterson scored one of the great London Games touchdowns!

The @Vikings meet the @steelers again tonight on Thursday Night Football! pic.twitter.com/kVMfg9GxZ0

— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) December 9, 2021

It is interesting how much the MN Vikings continue to be tied to Pittsburgh this offseason. Aaron Rodgers is basically waiting on Minnesota to come calling for his services. That seems unlikely to happen, so he’ll begrudgingly wind up playing for the Steelers.

Related: MN Vikings Misfortune Leading to More NFL Rule Changes

It’s going to be a season of turnover for Pittsburgh, regardless of what happens with the Rodgers sweepstakes. Until he saves the day, Mason Rudolph is in line to start for Mike Tomlin, after the Steelers split time between Justin Fields and Russell Wilson last season. Both QBs are now elsewhere.

The Minnesota Vikings were supposed to have nine home games and eight away games last season, but one home game, as mentioned, was moved to London. This year, their home vs road ratio flips, so the Pittsburgh (road) game moving to Dublin would be something they’d welcome, especially given their record in Europe.