How the Chiefs' Influence Is Stretching Far and Wide

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – By now, fans are used to waking up early on several Sundays to watch an NFL game in Europe.

That wake-up-to-football lineup begins this week when the Vikings meet the Steelers in the first NFL game played in Dublin, Ireland. Kickoff time for those in the Midwest is 8:30 a.m.

ireland college footbal — Aug 23, 2025; Dublin, IRELAND; Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht is tackled by VJ Payne of Kansas State during the Aer Lingus Classic between Iowa State and Kansas State at Aviva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO via Imagn Images | INPHO via Imagn Images

And the next time the NFL wants to play in the land of Blarney Castle, the Kansas City Chiefs have raised their hands.

An affinity for the Chiefs

Lara Krug, the team’s chief media and marketing officer, said earlier this month that the team has uncovered an affinity for Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Chiefs in the Irish market.

“I don't think we were surprised at all by the response from Irish fans to the first NFL game to be played in Dublin this year,” Krug told RTÉ Sport. "Irish fans are passionate, and although Ireland is a smaller country in both size and population, you can see that there is real excitement for the NFL there.

“We have talked openly about our aggressive approach to showing up globally, and we work hard to make sure the NFL knows that we want to be featured in international games, including potentially playing in Ireland in the near future.”

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs team president Mark Donovan enters the stadium via a player’s tunnel prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

A Chiefs contingent is in Ireland this week to market the franchise. Kansas City has that right because the NFL granted Ireland territorial privileges to the Chiefs as part of the global markets program. Kansas City owns rights to Ireland along with Green Bay, Jacksonville, the New York Jets, Tennessee and Pittsburgh, which hosts the Vikings at Croke Park on Sunday.

The Chiefs own international rights in six other countries: Austria, Germany (where they played in 2023), Mexico, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. Only one other franchise, the L.A. Rams, has rights to as many as seven countries.

Another international season-opener?

And, as fate would have it, the Rams and Chiefs are scheduled to play each other next year. It won’t be in Ireland, though. The Rams will host the first-ever NFL game in Australia, and don’t be surprised to see the Chiefs open the 2026 season similar to how they opened 2025, a long road trip in the season’s first week to meet Sean McVay.

The Chiefs, who lost their Sept. 5 season-opener to the Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil, are obviously assertive in their desire to play internationally. And that’s significant, simply because not every team shares that desire.

The Chiefs Patrick Mahomes looks for a receiver against the Rams on Monday night. Mahomes completed 33 of 46 passes for 478 yards and six touchdowns with three interceptions. | CHUCK KIRMAN/THE STAR

Kansas City even unveiled this month four market-specific mascots, including Ireland. Those four mascots, their European Wolf Pack, tap into the local markets’ cultures and feature market-specific names. For Ireland, it’s KC O’Wolf.

“A spirited trickster with a golden heart,” the team said in its release, “KC O’Wolf channels Irish charm, wild energy, and unwavering devotion, and rallies fans with laughter, loyalty, and a wink of mischief. Quick with a joke and never far from playful chaos, KC O’Wolf brings a touch of leprechaun energy to every crowd. Fiercely loyal, this is the kind of mascot everyone will want to share a selfie – or a pint – with.”

chiefs masco — Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs mascot KC Wolf rides an atv on field prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Chiefs actually already have a spirited individual who displays many of the same characteristics. And, after a heated argument with head coach Andy Reid in Sunday’s win at New York, Kelce also shares a lot more in common with the warm and hospitable people of the island nation.

“He was all-in,” Reid said after Sunday’s game. “Listen, he’s an emotional guy; he’s Irish.”

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