Notre Dame and Navy will play in Ireland again after all.
The two schools announced their respective football programs will go head-to-head on Aug. 26, 2023, at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Notre Dame and Navy were supposed to play there in 2020 but the game was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re thrilled to be able to provide another opportunity for our team and fans to experience the culture and hospitality of Ireland,” Notre Dame director of athletics Jack Swarbrick said. “This trip overseas continues to strengthen our academic and athletic presence around the globe.
"Bringing a Notre Dame football home game atmosphere to Ireland has been a goal of ours and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with the Naval Academy to make it happen.”
The news comes two days before Notre Dame and Navy renew their rivalry after taking a year off from playing each other for the first time since 1926. Notre Dame and Navy have met on the football field 93 times. The Fighting Irish have a 79-13-1 advantage in the all-time series.
Notre Dame has not played on foreign soil since beating Navy 50-10 in Dublin in the 2012 season opener. Swarbrick and Navy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk also announced an agreement to extend the matchup until at least the 2032 season.
Gladchuk said he is excited to return to Ireland to play Notre Dame again.
“In 2012, it was one of the greatest airlifts in all of sports with more than 35,000 people coming from the United States to witness the beauty of Ireland and the pageantry that is a Navy-Notre Dame football weekend," Gladchuk said. "We expect just as many people to return in 2023.
"The Navy fan-based support and enthusiasm for this game in Ireland is already overwhelming and with the ongoing support of the Prime Minister and the Irish government, it will again be an extraordinary experience. We look forward to our visit and a competitive contest against Notre Dame in a country that knows no bounds for hospitality.”
Saturday's game at Notre Dame Stadium between the No. 10 Irish (7-1) and Midshipmen (2-6) kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
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