The 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic pits two teams against each other that are not well known outside the United States.But the same cannot be said within the US, where Texas Christian University (TCU), aka the Horned Frogs, and the University of North Carolina (UNC), the Tar Heels, are storied teams with long traditions. UNC shocked the sporting world in December 2024 by recruiting American football’s most famous coach Bill Belichick, winner of eight Super Bowls. Even he could not save them from a terrible season in 2025. The Horned Frogs, who are based in Fort Worth, sold out their allocation of 9,000 tickets for Saturday’s game at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium despite the lack of direct flights between Texas and Ireland. It is the first time the Horned Frogs have played outside the US. “Half of our team needed to get passports,” TCU deputy athletics director Ryan Peck said. “They’re very excited.” Rameses the Ram, the mascot of the University of North Carolina, leads the university's marching band into Merrion Square, Dublin For the last couple of days Dublin has turned into a little slice of the US with marching bands, mascots and cheerleaders, a profusion of purple (for TCU) and blue and navy (UNC) everywhere.The Dublin match continues to be a big draw for college teams and their supporters. As many as 14,000 college football fans have made the journey for what is in effect a pre-season friendly. Most will be from TCU as it is their home game. “That other school may be four times the size of us, but they’ll have about half the amount of people I’m looking at right here,” said TCU chancellor Daniel Pullin at a rally in Merrion Square to cheers. Cheerleaders from the University of North Carolina, aka the Tar Heels, arrive in Merrion Square It is the first time outside the US for Landyn Hackebeil, his wife Michelle, TCU alumni, and their three-old-son Rhys. They have been in Ireland for 10 days. “One of my groomsmen grew up in Co Down,” Hackebeil said. “The game is a good omen for coming to Ireland.”Brittany Hardcastle, a TCU alumnus, is celebrating her 40th birthday in Ireland with fiancé Clifford Young, who is local to Fort Worth and “a TCU fan my whole life”. Texas Christian University baton twirler Haylee Chiariello at the TCU gathering in Merrion Square before the American Football classic game against the University of North Carolina “We never miss a TCU game,” Hardcastle said. “It’s been a big part of our journey. We had our wedding shower at a TCU football game. “Football bounds us all together, it’s time when friends and family can join and just be together and just celebrate the good and the bad.” American football coach Bill Belichick on stage at a welcome event for the University of North Carolina football team in Merrion Square The University of North Carolina play in sky blue and navy, which blends in quite well with their host city. The Tar Heels have been playing college football since 1888, but, like Saturday’s opponents, have never played outside the US before. There will be significant Irish interest in the team as one of its punters is Adam McCann-Gibbs, a former Down minor who turns 19 on Saturday. Adam McCann Gibbs at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Photograph: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile It’s been a surreal journey from playing Gaelic football and soccer in his home town of Newry to a place on the roster and a full scholarship to one of the most prestigious college teams in the US. His mother, Cheryl Gibbs, said: “I’m the proudest mummy in Ireland. We have been over to a few games and it’s crazy different. It’s a new world to me. I was only used to Gaelic football six months ago. Cheryl Gibbs at the welcome event in Merrion Square “Adam played Gaelic for two small local teams. We were used to playing in front of 40 or 50 people. They play in front of 50,000 in Chapel Hill [in North Carolina].” Asked during the week if McCann-Gibbs would play, the notoriously taciturn Belichick only said: “Maybe.” Belichick and his team were introduced to the fans in Merrion Square, but he did not speak. The captain, Benjamin Hall, was asked what we can expect on the field on Saturday. “Domination,” one fan shouted. The opening of the college season will have a potential television audience of six million back in the US.