Bohemians to kick off 2025 League of Ireland season at Aviva Stadium against Shamrock Rovers
Bohemian FC is delighted to announce that our opening fixture of the 2025 SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division season will be against Shamrock Rovers at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday February 16.
The biggest game in Irish football first took place 110 years ago and it has been 80 years since the clubs faced each other in the 1945 Men’s FAI Cup final, which held the record crowd in the competition until our 2023 Final against St Patrick’s Athletic when 43,881 people attended.
Bohemian FC has worked hard over the past couple of months, alongside the FAI, and with the support of Shamrock Rovers, to bring this game to fruition.
We wished to harness the huge growth in our own fanbase, and indeed that of the whole league, to bring the country’s most famous fixture to the country’s best stadium.
When bringing the concept to the FAI, who were immediately fully supportive, we opted to forgo home advantage to make it a reality.
Bohemian FC will operate the fixture as the home team in terms of branding, commercial arrangements, dressing room and the selection of the South Stand for our singing section.
The game will kick off at 2pm, and full ticket details will be announced in the coming days long with an on-sale date in mid-December.
Bohemian FC COO, Dan Lambert, said:
“After much work between the club and the FAI, it is brilliant to now announce this historic fixture. To bring the Dublin Derby to Aviva Stadium on the 110th anniversary of the clubs’ first meeting, and on our first game of our club’s 135th anniversary.
“Football in the League of Ireland is in its strongest place in decades, and this game will showcase our most famous game, in our county’s best stadium.
“I wish to thank the FAI for their positive reception and engagement to the concept, and to Shamrock Rovers, in particular John Martin, for their engagement over the past number of weeks.
“It promises to be a massive occasion and hopefully we can create the best atmosphere the Aviva has ever seen as we aim to have the biggest ever attendance at the Dublin Derby.”
League of Ireland Director, Mark Scanlon, said:
“After a thrilling record-breaking season in 2024, we’re delighted to have a massive Dublin Derby between two of the oldest clubs in the league on the opening weekend of the 2025 SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division season in what will be a brilliant showcase of the best of League of Ireland in the Aviva Stadium.
“We have been delighted to see attendances and fanbases rise in the league in recent years and this game will be a perfect opportunity to show the thrill, buzz and drama of the league to an even bigger audience.
“I want to thank both Clubs for their cooperation in making this event possible, and we look forward to welcoming both fanbases and new supporters to the opening of the season for what’s set to be a historic day for the league.”
Shamrock Rovers CEO, John Martin, said:
“We are delighted to travel to the Aviva Stadium in February to play Bohemian FC in our first league game of the 2025 season. The opportunity for Rovers to bring such significant support to an away fixture against Bohemian FC was something we worked very hard on, and we are delighted this collaboration has come to fruition.
“The game marks another positive step in the growth of the League of Ireland and showcases the clubs’ abilities to work together. We look forward to being part of such a historic occasion.”
