Get in touch ↗THE GLOBAL CLASSROOM. THE GLOBAL STADIUM.
Uniting the youth of the world through American football. Explore Patrick Steenberge’s lifelong mission: games, service, discovery, and friendships that cross borders.
Meet the man behind the mission ↗Coming next: International Linemen Day →Map unavailable. Explore every destination using the location list below.
Select a flag to discover the games, clinics, and journeys behind it. Markers group published stories by country or region; cultural stops and archived plans are labeled in the details.
THE MAN BEHIND THE MISSION
Patrick Steenberge has spent three decades opening the world to football—and opening football players’ eyes to the world.
His journey began in Erie, Pennsylvania, and took him to Notre Dame, where he played quarterback under Ara Parseghian. In 1996, he founded Global Football with a belief that competition could bring people together across borders.
From the Notre Dame Japan Bowl with Lou Holtz to the first college American football game on African soil, Patrick has helped turn ambitious ideas into shared experiences. He personally organizes and manages Global Football’s tours, connecting coaches, players, families, and local communities.
It began with a high-school team willing to take a leap. In 1996, Mount Saint Joseph traveled from Baltimore to England with head coach Mike Working—Patrick’s first client and an early believer in the mission. The relationships that started there would reach far beyond the field.
Read Patrick’s full story ↗THE TEAMS THAT MADE THE JOURNEY
IMG Academy
Notre Dame
Drake University
Penn
Ohio Northern
North Central
John Carroll
Wheaton College
Hampden-Sydney
CMS
Central College
Adrian College
Alfred University
Augustana College (IL)
Bluffton University
Buena Vista University
Coe College
Cornell College (IA)
University of Dubuque
Elmhurst University
Hanover College
Illinois Wesleyan
Johns Hopkins
Luther College
Minnesota Morris
Muhlenberg College
Plymouth State
University of Puget Sound
Rose-Hulman
University of San Diego
Sewanee
Southwestern University
St. Norbert College
Thiel College
Wabash College
Wartburg College
Wilmington College (OH)
Wisconsin–Eau Claire
Penn State
UCF
Iowa State
Kansas State
Siena HeightsBenedictine College (KS)Benedictine College (KS)Baker CollegeBaker CollegeNotre DameDrake UniversityPennOhio NorthernNorth CentralJohn CarrollWheaton CollegeHampden-SydneyCMSCentral CollegeAdrian CollegeAlfred UniversityAugustana College (IL)Bluffton UniversityBuena Vista UniversityCoe CollegeCornell College (IA)University of DubuqueElmhurst UniversityHanover CollegeIllinois WesleyanJohns HopkinsLuther CollegeMinnesota MorrisMuhlenberg CollegePlymouth StateUniversity of Puget SoundRose-HulmanUniversity of San DiegoSewaneeSouthwestern UniversitySt. Norbert CollegeThiel CollegeWabash CollegeWartburg CollegeWilmington College (OH)Wisconsin–Eau ClairePenn StateUCFIowa StateKansas StateSiena HeightsBenedictine College (KS)Benedictine College (KS)Baker CollegeBaker CollegeColleges documented in Global Football’s travel and event history, alongside IMG Academy. Each name links to its story or archive record.
WHERE THE JOURNEY BEGAN
Mount Saint Joseph Catholic High School’s first journey with Patrick brought the Gaels to London. They defeated the Great Britain Crusaders 57–14. But the larger win was discovering what football could make possible.
Spain followed in 1998, then Ireland in 2000. Three journeys. One founding relationship with coach Mike Working.
Explore the first chapter ↗Schools documented in the travel and event archive, including international tours and the Catholic Bowl. This growing directory is a starting point for the full school-by-school history.
A LIVING HISTORY
Follow the chapters that shaped Global Football—from a high-school adventure to international championships, service projects, and friendships spanning decades.
1997–2007 / SUPER BOWL WEEK
The NFL Global Junior Championship grew from a Europe–Mexico game into a six-nation tournament. Across 11 editions, young players shared football’s biggest week—and found doors to college and professional football.
German offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer and Panama’s Frank Davis are among the alumni whose paths continued to the NFL.
MEXICO / 20 EDITIONS · 14 CITIES
The Aztec Bowl and Tazón de Estrellas—the Bowl of the Stars—built a lasting connection between Division III players and Mexican football. Practices, community service, and the game created a shared experience across generations.
Patrick remembers these journeys as a story of people: the players, local hosts, coaches, and coordinators who returned year after year.
NOTRE DAME / PENN STATE
Notre Dame and Penn State fantasy camps brought fans into the football experience. The archive also records Fantasy Bowls in State College in 2007 and 2011.
In Patrick’s recollections, friendships and spirited flag-football rivalry are as memorable as the famous names. The camp photographs, videos, and personal stories form the next layer of this history.
MOSCOW / ORLANDO
A Jacksonville Pop Warner team traveled to Moscow in 1998. Later, Global Football’s international Pop Warner program brought young players together in Orlando, with teams from Mexico, Panama, the United Arab Emirates, Finland, and beyond.
Every journey gave children and families a chance to meet the world through a game they already loved.
WABASH / PANAMA / TANZANIA
Patrick recalls a relationship with coach Chris Creighton that grew through European travel, mountain hikes, and hands-on service in Panama. That trust helped make an ambitious Tanzania idea feel possible.
The 2011 Kilimanjaro Bowl brought Drake University and Mexico’s CONADEIP team to Tanzania. Football, service, and the climb belong to the same story: discovering what people can do together.
HAMBURG / GERMANY
The published archive places the Notre Dame Legends game in Hamburg in 2000. Patrick remembers organizing the team—and stepping back onto the field for a series at quarterback.
Patrick’s recollection places the trip around 1999; the archive lists 2000. The roster, score, and original event materials will help complete this chapter.
Drawn from Global Football’s published archive and Patrick’s September 2026 recollections. Personal memories are identified as such; dates that differ from the archive are noted.
THE GLOBAL FOOTBALL FAMILY
Patrick’s story is also the story of the coaches, organizers, players, families, and friends who kept saying yes to the next adventure.
The first client. The coach who believed in taking Mount Saint Joseph into the world.
A storyteller whose reporting and memories help preserve the NFL junior championship years.
A longtime coordinator connected to Mexico, Ireland, Tanzania, Japan, and Panama.
A familiar presence across many years of the Mexico series.
A coach whose repeated journeys helped build lasting international relationships.
A former Michigan lineman, longtime friend, and one of the storytellers Patrick wants to hear from.
AN ORAL-HISTORY PROJECT IN DEVELOPMENT
Patrick’s idea: bring the Global Football family together to tell the stories, identify the faces in old photographs, and preserve the moments that never made the scorebook.
From the early Granbury flag league to the journey that inspired Tanzania, there are more chapters to uncover. Interviews and films will appear here as they are recorded.
Share a memory with Patrick ↗THE NEXT CHAPTER
COMING SOON · DATE TO BE ANNOUNCEDIN PARTNERSHIP WITH
TRENCH U×NATIONAL LINEMAN DAY
A worldwide celebration of the players who lead from the front, protect their teammates, and do the difficult work. Patrick’s global football family joins Trench U and National Lineman Day to bring linemen together through clinics, coaching, service, and shared stories.
Planned locations. Clinic dates, venues, and registration details will be announced.
Ask about International Linemen Day ↗THE GAME TAKES YOU PLACES
Explore the Global Ireland Football Tournament and the next generation of international competition.
Discover the Tanzania clinic and service-work story behind the Kilimanjaro Bowl experience.
Meet Patrick Steenberge and explore Global Football’s history, international bowls, team travel, and other sports.