By Darragh Culhane

Copyright irishmirror

The NFL comes to Dublin this weekend, and it’s fair to say that excitement is fever-pitched. Some 76,000 are expected to pack into Croke Park this Sunday for the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Host organisers expect in excess of 20,000 fans travelling from Stateside and a similar number from Europe, with a strong Irish NFL fan base also getting their hands on plenty of tickets.

When the NFL comes to town, they don’t do small time and have arranged plenty of events for the week of the game and some experiences on gameday.

Below is a look at some of the events in Dublin this week.

Official NFL Shop – 23 September to 29 September

An Official NFL shop will be open from Tuesday until next Monday, during which time fans can pick up merchandise from their favourite teams.

The NFL shop will be located at 133 St Stephen’s Green, the same location as the recent Oasis pop-up shop.

NFL Experience – 25 September to 27 September

Dublin Castle will be transformed into an NFL bonanza, where fans can try out flag football and test their field goal skills. They’ll also have a chance to win Superbowl tickets!

Super Bowl Gallery – 25 September to 27 September

The Lombardi trophy and all 59 Super Bowl rings will be on display at Dublin City Hall from Thursday to Sunday.

Team Pubs – 26 September to 28 September

The Pittsburgh Steelers have designated Fitzsimons of Temple Bar as their pub for the weekend, while the Minnesota Vikings fans can flock to JR Mahon’s on the quays. There’ll be plenty of merchandise dotted around the pubs, and don’t be surprised if a few famous faces even throw their head in.

The Green Bay Packers have also hopped on the bandwagon and will be taking over Sinnott’s on Saturday, while the Chiefs are taking over Murrays from Thursday to Sunday.

Steelers Tailgate – 26 September to 28 September

The Steelers are taking over Merrion Square Park for the week that is in it. It promises to be packed with entertainment, NFL legend appearances, merchandise, fan activities, and much more, and there’ll also be a watch party for the game itself.

Steelers Shop -All Season

The Steelers shop is open all season long and is on Clarendon Street in Dublin.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Q&A

The NFL’s big boss is in town and will visit Whelans on Camden Street. In an event hosted by Michael McQuaid, Goodell will be joined by Steelers owner Art Rooney, NFL legend Jerome Bettis, and Vikings’ Hall of Famer John Randle. Fans will receive a drink voucher with their ticket and have a chance to win tickets for the big game.

Doors open at 1 p.m., the event begins at 2 p.m., and ends at 3 p.m. Tickets have already been snapped up, but keep checking the page HERE in case more become available.