CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – College football has began the tradition of kicking off each season overseas.
In 2024, the college football season kicked off with Georgia Tech and Florida playing in Dublin, Ireland, during a week zero matchup. This year on August 23, Kansas State and Iowa State will face off in the same event, known as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
Illinois was originally supposed to play Nebraska in Ireland to begin the 2021 season. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the game was relocated to Champaign and the Illini did not reschedule another international game after that.
Would Bielema be interested in an opportunity to play outside the U.S. in the future?
“We really haven’t been approached,” he said.
It was noted that Illinois football’s circumstances have changed considerably since the original plans for the game with Nebraska were made for 2021.
“Things were different back then,” Bielema said. “Illinois was dealing with only a third of the stadium being filled. It was a unique market opportunity, especially with a large stadium that wasn’t selling out, to generate more revenue overseas.”
The veteran college football head coach kept the door open for international play in the future but suggested it might mean replacing a game already planned to be held away from Champaign.
“The last thing I’d do right now is take a home game out of [Memorial] Stadium,” he said. “That’d be the last thing I’d want to do.”
Illinois sold out season tickets this fall for the first time in 20 years. Student season tickets are also sold out.
The Illini sold out two games in 2024, marking the first time Memorial Stadium in Champaign saw multiple sellout crowds since 2009.
