WrestleMania potentially heading to Ireland may sound exciting for WWE fans, but a new backstage update shows the idea still faces some very serious hurdles before becoming a reality.
After Irish officials publicly pushed the idea of bringing WrestleMania to Dublin in the future, a new report from Fightful Select revealed the proposal is currently being viewed internally as a long-term project rather than something close to happening immediately.
According to Corey Brennan, sources connected to the initiative believe Ireland absolutely could land WrestleMania — but only if the Irish government fully commits financially and embraces the idea of positioning Ireland as a major global sports destination.
Those involved in the push are reportedly already dismissing concerns about local resistance surrounding Croke Park, which has historically faced issues from nearby residents regarding massive events.
Instead, supporters are pointing to successful NFL games at the stadium and the upcoming Manchester United vs. Leeds United match as proof the venue can handle large international attractions.
But despite the optimism, Fightful reported two major obstacles are currently standing in the way. The first problem is money. According to the report, Ireland would need to at least match the $6 million bid Las Vegas submitted to secure WrestleMania — something sources within the Irish wrestling scene reportedly view as a major challenge.
The second issue is weather. Because Croke Park does not have a roof, there are legitimate concerns internally about trying to run an outdoor WrestleMania in Ireland given the country’s unpredictable climate.
Even with those concerns, the economic upside being discussed is enormous. Fightful reported estimates suggest WrestleMania could inject nearly €300 million into the Irish economy if the event were eventually held there. That number is expected to become a major part of the pitch when officials formally present the proposal to the Irish government.
The entire conversation gained momentum after Kilkenny Councillor Maurice Shortall publicly argued Ireland should aggressively pursue WrestleMania following WWE’s increasing focus on global expansion. Shortall previously stated:
“As a globally recognised event with the capacity to attract tens of thousands of international visitors and generate substantial international media exposure, WrestleMania presents a significant opportunity for Ireland to strengthen its position as a leading destination for major event tourism.”
Meanwhile, WWE already has major Irish representation across its roster with stars like Sheamus, Becky Lynch, Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, and Lyra Valkyria all prominently featured on television.
So, Ireland’s push for WrestleMania is reportedly very real, but between the massive financial commitment required and serious concerns about running an outdoor stadium show in Irish weather, WWE’s biggest event coming to Dublin still sounds like a very complicated long-term play.
Do you think WWE should take the risk and bring WrestleMania to Ireland someday, or are the weather and stadium concerns simply too big to overcome? Drop your thoughts below and let us know.