American Football takes Welsh Castle by Storm
CARDIFF CASTLE has welcomed kings, soldiers, politicians and tourists over the centuries.
This weekend, it has Bears.
The Chicago Bears, one of the oldest and most famous franchises in the National Football League, have brought a taste of the NFL to the heart of the Welsh capital as part of their first-ever UK Grand Tour.
The Bears are at Cardiff Castle today, Saturday October 10, with a special fan event that began at 10am. And the setting could hardly be more striking.
One of American sport’s most historic teams has effectively moved into one of Wales’ most recognisable landmarks for the day.
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‘Da Bears’ in the Castle grounds
The Cardiff event includes interactive games, giveaways, photo opportunities and a specially created ‘Bear Hunt’ around the castle and its famous Animal Wall.
Fans can follow clues around the grounds and compete for prizes while discovering a little more about both the Bears and their rather unusual Welsh surroundings.
Former Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller is also appearing at the event.
Miller played more than 30 games for Chicago before his playing career ended following a serious knee injury. He has subsequently developed another career as a country musician.
The Bears’ mascot Staley Da Bear is also part of the travelling party.
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Why are the Chicago Bears invading a Welsh castle?
Cardiff is one of five stops on what the organisation is calling Da Chicago Bears UK Grand Tour.
The tour began in Bournemouth before moving to Cardiff and will continue through Leeds, Glasgow and Belfast.
The Bears say it is the first time an NFL team has visited every nation of the United Kingdom during a single activation tour.
The aim is straightforward. Like several NFL franchises, Chicago is attempting to build a much larger international following.
The Bears describe the tour as part of a long-term commitment to connecting with existing supporters in Britain while introducing American football to new audiences.
And Wales is very much part of that plan.
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So what is Cardiff Castle?
For Americans encountering the location for the first time, Cardiff Castle is one of the most important historic sites in the Welsh capital.
The site has been occupied for almost 2,000 years, beginning with a Roman fort built around the first century AD.
After the Norman conquest, a medieval castle was established within the Roman walls, including the distinctive Norman keep that still dominates the site today.
Much of the lavish interior seen by visitors now dates from the 19th Century, when the castle was transformed for the wealthy Marquesses of Bute by architect William Burges. The result is an extraordinary mixture of Roman remains, medieval fortifications and richly decorated Victorian Gothic rooms.
During the Second World War, tunnels within the castle walls were used as air-raid shelters, protecting thousands of Cardiff residents during bombing raids.
Today, the castle sits right in the centre of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, just a short walk from the Principality Stadium and the main shopping streets.
So when the Chicago Bears arrived with games, giveaways and their mascot this weekend, they were doing so inside a site whose history stretches back long before either Chicago — or the United States itself — existed.
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Cardiff’s own bear ready to greet the tourists
The Animal Wall itself is another lovely piece of Cardiff history. It was conceived as part of the Victorian transformation of the castle associated with the 3rd Marquess of Bute and architect William Burges, and the stone animals have become one of the city centre’s most distinctive features.
They include a pair of lions, a lioness, hyena, sea-lion, ape, beaver, vulture, a pair of raccoons, and, of course, a bear!
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Americans are no strangers to Cardiff Castle
The Chicago Bears are certainly not the first famous American visitors to make an impression inside Cardiff Castle.
In recent years, the Castle Green has developed into one of Wales’ most spectacular outdoor concert venues, attracting some major names from across the Atlantic.
During the summer of 2026 alone, Katy Perry, Ethel Cain and Arizona rock band Jimmy Eat World all performed within the castle walls, while Hollywood Vampires brought an unmistakably American rock pedigree through a line-up featuring Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry.
Two years earlier, The Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer shared the stage at Cardiff Castle during a major European tour.
So Chicago’s NFL visitors are following a well-established transatlantic trail.
Music has already brought plenty of America to the Castle.
This weekend, it is American football’s turn.
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One of the NFL’s oldest names
For anyone in Wales unfamiliar with the team, the Chicago Bears come with plenty of history.
They were founded in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys, making them one of the original franchises from the earliest days of professional American football.
The team moved to Chicago the following year and became the Bears in 1922.
They have won nine NFL championships, including victory in Super Bowl XX, and have produced more Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees than any other NFL franchise.
The Bears are currently enjoying a promising start to the 2026 season too.
They have won three of their opening four games, including a 23–12 victory over the New York Jets last weekend.
Next comes one of the biggest fixtures on their calendar.
On Sunday, Chicago travel to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers, continuing one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in American professional sport.
For Bears fans waking up in Chicago this Saturday, therefore, the build-up to Packers weekend comes with the slightly unexpected sight of their team colours appearing inside a Welsh castle.
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Cardiff meets Chicago
There is something rather appealing about the contrast.
Chicago is famous for skyscrapers, deep-dish pizza, blues music and one of America’s great sporting cultures.
Cardiff Castle has occupied its site in one form or another for almost two thousand years.
Yet for one Saturday in October, the two worlds have come together.
The event also demonstrates just how international major American sports have become.
NFL games have become regular fixtures in London, while teams are increasingly building fan communities outside the United States rather than simply flying in for occasional matches.
The Bears’ visit suggests Wales is now becoming part of that conversation too.
American football is already played in Wales, from university and community teams to flag football, and the sport continues to attract new followers.
Perhaps seeing one of the NFL’s most recognisable brands in the centre of Cardiff will encourage a few more.
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A weekend touched by sadness
The Bears’ visit to Cardiff comes during an emotional week for the franchise following the death of Mike Ditka at the age of 86.
Known affectionately as “Iron Mike” and “Da Coach”, Ditka became one of the defining figures in Chicago Bears history.
He first starred for the team as a pioneering tight end, helping Chicago win the 1963 NFL Championship, before later returning as head coach.
His greatest coaching triumph came with the legendary 1985 Bears, who went on to win Super Bowl XX and became one of the most celebrated teams in NFL history.
Ditka remains unique in the modern NFL era as the only person to win a league championship with the same franchise as both a player and head coach.
The Bears have described his influence on the organisation as immeasurable, while current head coach Ben Johnson called him the “gold standard” for what it means to represent Chicago.
So while the UK Grand Tour is very much a celebration of the Bears and their growing international fanbase, this weekend also carries a more reflective note for supporters mourning one of the most important figures in the club’s history.
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Did Ewe Know?
The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers first played each other in 1921, making theirs one of the oldest rivalries in the NFL — and they meet again tomorrow, just a day after the Bears’ Cardiff Castle takeover.