GLOBAL FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES 2024 G.I.F.T. TEAMS
August 20 – 25 | Dublin, Ireland
DUBLIN, IRELAND – Join Global Football in welcoming SIX different football teams to the 2024 Global Ireland Football Tournament (G.I.F.T) taking place in Dublin, Ireland. This eagerly anticipated event will be the fifth time that Global Football has taken teams to the beautiful Emerald Isle. Over the five days that they are in Ireland, teams will become immersed in the culture through Experience Gaelic Games, travel back in time through visits to Dublin’s rich museums and castles, hone their skills through practice times at the University College Dublin, and gear up for the game with team cheerleaders at 4:00 P.M. for a pep rally at Marrion Square. The triple-header will see fans from across the United States, Ireland, and Great Britain cheering on their favorite offensive and defensive players. The following day, teams will attend an esteemed awards ceremony with family and friends at the historic RDS Center Theater, originally started in 1731 by a group of radical thinkers who believed in the power of ideas and of turning these ideas into action. One player from each team will be nominated to receive the Brian Mullins Award, after one of Ireland’s greatest Gaelic football players. The evening will be followed by sought-after seats at the Georgia Tech versus Florida State game at Aviva Stadium.
The G.I.F.T. programme is part of the #MuchMoreThanAGame initiatives of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. The upcoming 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic, the third in the five-game series, will see Georgia Tech face off against Florida State University in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, 24th August 2024. All the prep school players will enjoy the big NCAA contest, along with an exciting pep rally. Building on the momentum of last year’s game, this game is already 97% sold out with in excess of 24,000 of those tickets snapped up by international fans alone. The official Aer Lingus College Football Classic App is now available for download. This is a must have for all fans joining us in Dublin for the 2024 College Football Season Kick off. You can download the app here. ESPN’S College GameDay will also be broadcasting live from Dublin ahead of kick-off. This marks the first time that college football’s premier pregame show is originating from outside the United States!
Game Details:
- Date & Time: August 23, 2024,
Game 1 (12:00 P.M.), Game 2 (3:30 P.M.), Game 3 (7:00 P.M.)
- Location: Energia Park (formerly Donnybrook Stadium)
- Highlight: The Pep Rally at Marrion Square is a must-see event, getting crowds excited for the triple-header the following day. Game day at Energia Park is sure to be electric, being the first time these teams have competed against each other.
- Admission: Ticket sales begin on July 1. To purchase tickets, visit globalfootball.com or check out our social media pages.
Key Notes: To view more key notes regarding the 2024 G.I.F.T., please visit https://www.globalfootball.com/ireland-2024/key-notes-gift-2024/.
Producer: Patrick Steenberge, President and Founder of Global Football (817) 219-7274
Game 1: Maclay School, Tallahassee, Florida v Windham School, Windham, New Hampshire
“We are beyond excited to represent Maclay School in the beautiful country of Ireland. Words can’t express the gratitude we have to Global Football, and what this opportunity means for the Marauder football program and our school. We here at Maclay strive to give our students and athletes opportunities and advantages you can’t get at any other educational institution, and this trip to Ireland will be an experience our scholar athletes will never forget.” – Maclay School Head Football Coach Jason Cauley
“We are so excited to be the first New England high school to play internationally. The trip is built to give our players an experience they will remember forever. We can’t wait to play a game and get our program and the New England Region some global exposure. The Maclay School is a strong opponent and will be a great challenge for our program. Coach Cauley and I already have a really positive relationship…it’s easy to see he’s got his program in a good spot and he really cares about his players. We hope to have a good, tough game with them and regardless of the result, we will root them on for the remainder of the season as they take on their in-state schedule.” – Windham School Head Football Coach, Jack Byrne
Game 2: IMG Academy Elite Ascenders, Bradenton, Florida v Episcopal School of Dallas, Dallas, Texas
“IMG Academy is extremely excited to take our first trip to Dublin Ireland as a football program. Our families and their student athletes look for a best in class high school football experience along with getting them prepared to play college football. The opportunity to go to Dublin was a no-brainer for our football department. Our IMG staff, our student athletes and their families could not be more excited for this unique international opportunity!” – IMG’s Director of Football Kyle Brey
“The Episcopal School of Dallas is honored and excited to partner with GIFT and participate in the 2024. As we strive to ignite lives of purpose through the development of an educated conscience, the opportunity to play a football game in Dublin and expose our students to the rich culture and history of Ireland is a chance of a lifetime.” – Thad Lepcio, Episcopal School of Dallas Director of Athletics
Game 3: Junior Irish Wolfhounds, Ireland v Great Britain U19, Great Britain
“We are looking forward to GIFT 2024. It was a fantastic experience last year to play against a US high school team in our first ever game for the U19 Wolfhounds & our guys played exceptionally well. This year we are playing an experienced GB U19 team which will be a tough opponent. It’s another great opportunity for our players to get game experience & to continue their growth. This is the second year of the U19 Wolfhounds program & we are improving with every practice. The enthusiasm and dedication that the players & coaches are putting in to the team is fantastic and we are looking forward to the game in August.” – Junior Irish Wolfhounds Head Coach Alan Lomasney
“All of us at the GB Lions U19 Program are incredibly excited to be participating in this G.I.F.T event as part of a spectacular weekend of football in Dublin this August. We are absolutely thrilled to have been given the opportunity to compete against our close neighbors across the Irish Sea, the Junior Wolfhounds. We expect a very competitive and hard-fought encounter in, what we hope, will develop into a true ‘Rivalry’ game. I am truly honored to be the Head Coach of this program and such a remarkable, committed bunch of players and coaches who sacrifice so much of their time and effort. We can’t wait to get out on the field on August 23rd!” – GB Lions U19 Head Coach Scott Rowe
G.I.F.T. History: Since 2012 the Global Ireland Football Tournament G.I.F.T. has featured 26 teams in Dublin: 19 US high schools, 2 Canadian high schools, 2 NCAA D3 colleges, 1 NFL Academy UK, 1 British club squad, and 1 Irish Jr National Team as part of the historic Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
Game Coverage: G.I.F.T. triple-header will be live-streamed on ReelZeal Network!
All personnel wanting to cover the games must be approved before gameday. Contact Jessica Gryder at gryderjess@gmail.com.
Social Media: Be sure to follow our social media pages for day-to-day updates, team highlights, gameday coverage and photos!
Facebook: Global Football LTD
Instagram: @gift_ireland
Twitter: @globalsportsguy
Learn More:
Visit the official Global Football website at www.globalfootball.com for the latest updates or to see future events and destinations!
For questions, please contact Patrick Steenberge:
(817) 219-7274
Patrick@globalfootball.com
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