By R.L. Bynum
When Bill Belichick became UNC’s head football coach, he was expected to take the program places it hadn’t been before. That took on an added layer on Tuesday.
Carolina announced that the Tar Heels will open the 2026 season in Dublin, Ireland, in the sixth Aer Lingus College Football Classic against TCU on Sept. 5. UNC also opens the 2025 season against the Horned Frogs with a nationally televised game on ESPN at Kenan Stadium at 7:30 on Monday night, Sept. 1.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity for our program and we’re excited to represent the university and our fans on an international stage,” Belichick said.
Belichick’s New England Patriots teams played in Europe twice, both in London, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35–7 in 2009 and the St. Louis Rams 45–7 in 2012. His Patriots also beat the Oakland Raiders 33–8 in Mexico City in 2017.
The 2026 game will be the first outside the United States in UNC program history. It was originally going to be played at TCU.
“We look forward to having our alumni and fans join us in Ireland and cheer us on in person for what will be a memorable and special trip,” UNC athletics director Bubba Cunningham said.
The Tar Heels are 3-0 all-time versus TCU, including a 31–10 win over the Horned Frogs in the most recent meeting in 1997 in Fort Worth, Texas.
North Carolina will be the fourth ACC school to play in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, joining Boston College (2016), Florida State (2024), and Georgia Tech (2016 and 2024).
This year’s Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Aug. 23 matches Kansas State and Iowa State, and the game on Aug. 28, 2027, will feature Pittsburgh and Wisconsin. Last season, Georgia Tech upset then-No. 10 Florida State 24–21 in the game.
The games are played in Aviva Stadium, also known as Lansdowne Road. It seats 49,000 for American football and is the home of the Ireland national rugby union team, the Ireland national football team, the Leinster rugby team and the Lansdowne Football Club.
In the first American football game in the stadium, Boston College beat Army 38–24 in 1988.
The Tar Heels are 3–0 against TCU, including a 31–10 win over the Horned Frogs in the most recent meeting in 1997 in Fort Worth, Texas.
UNC fans visit TarHeels2Ireland.com to learn more about the game and sign up for ticket updates, including official UNC travel and hospitality packages, which will become available on May 8.
UNC schedule
| Month/ date | Opponent |
|---|---|
| September | |
| 1 (Monday), 7:30, ESPN | vs. TCU |
| 6 | at Charlotte |
| 13 | vs. Richmond |
| 20 | at Central Florida |
| October | |
| 4 | vs. Clemson |
| 17 (Friday) | at California |
| 25 | vs. Virginia |
| 31 (Friday) | at Syracuse |
| November | |
| 8 | vs. Stanford |
| 15 | at Wake Forest |
| 22 | vs. Duke |
| 29 | at N.C. State |
Photo via @UNCFootball
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