The UNC football program will begin the 2026 season in Ireland

The Tar Heels will kick-off the 2026 season with an international trip!
Florida State v Georgia Tech - 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic
Florida State v Georgia Tech - 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic | Charles McQuillan/GettyImages

Pack your bags: the UNC football program is heading to Ireland (in 2026)!

News surfaced on Tuesday morning that the UNC football program will kick-off the 2026 college football season in Dublin Ireland. Their opponent will be TCU, a game which was supposed to be held at Amon G. Carter Stadium, the home of the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth, Texas.

Given that the contest was supposed to be the back end of a home-and-home deal between the two programs, Adam Smith of Inside Carolina noted that the Tar Heels have negotiated compensation for TCU as a means of recouping the revenue generated by a home football game.

Football has become rather popular in Ireland, as the college football world has started to make it a trend of visiting the country at least once a season. Since 2012, six college football games have been held at Aviva Stadium, including games scheduled for each of the next three seasons.

We all remember how exciting last year's game between Georgia Tech and Florida State was. Hopefully, North Carolina's duel with TCU is just as good!

If you're into traveling internationally, or just always looked for a reason to visit Ireland in general, this could be your chance!

Schedule

Schedule