London Irish and reigning champions Saracens are to play the first ever Aviva Premiership match held abroad when they meet in the United States on March 12 next year as England's top flight looks to expand its global appeal.

The match will take place at the 25,000-capacity Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey - 23 miles from New York at MLS soccer franchise the New York Red Bulls' home stadium.

Officially a London Irish home fixture, the match is timed to take place during the build-up to St Patrick's Day in New York but it will clash with the penultimate weekend of the 2016 Six Nations.

Saracens celebrate their Aviva Premiership title win at Twickenham after beating Bath in May earlier this year

The Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey (above) is used to hosting MLS soccer matches

TICKET INFO FOR THE MATCH How do I buy a match ticket? Tickets go on sale on Friday, October 30 from 2pm via Ticketmaster. Season Ticket holders will have access to a special 10 per cent discount and fans can register their interest in a ticket by clicking here. How much will tickets cost? Prices range from $50 (£32) to $250 (£163). What about supporter packages? London Irish have confirmed they are looking at packages to combine flights, airport transfers, accommodation and access to player meet and greet events. Details of the packages will be announced on or before Monday, November 9 while fans are urged to register their interest in packages by clicking here before 5pm on Tuesday, November 3. Advertisement

London Irish CEO Bob Casey, a former captain of the club, said: 'This is an enormous opportunity for London Irish and a chance for our club to gain exposure in one of the biggest sporting cities in the world. The New York region has a significant Irish community and is renowned for its annual St Patrick’s Day Parade, so it’s the perfect time for our club to venture into this market.

'Rugby is set for an exciting time with Rugby World Cup 2015 reaching its final stages, the inclusion of Sevens in the 2016 Olympic Games, and now the first ever Aviva Premiership fixture in the USA. We are well placed to capitalise on these exceptional opportunities to create a lasting legacy for both rugby and London Irish. We intend to continue to be at the forefront of the development of the game in the USA.'

Ireland face Italy in Dublin on the same day as the fixture, with England also in action against Wales on March 12. But the Six Nations has always clashed with Premiership fixtures.

London Irish CEO Bob Casey (above) used to captain the club before retiring in 2012

London Irish (in white) in action against Exeter Chiefs in the Aviva Premiership last weekend

Mark McCafferty, Premiership Rugby’s chief executive added: 'This is a significant day in the history of Premiership Rugby and one that has taken a number of years and a lot of hard work to bring to fruition. Premiership Rugby is the most competitive league in world rugby with a fast-growing following outside England and we are delighted to stage a competitive match in the USA.

'There are ambitious plans to grow the game in the States and this is the latest stage in that strategy,' he added. 'We firmly believe this will be a great success and will showcase live Aviva Premiership Rugby to a new audience.'

USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville said: 'Our sport continues to grow in the United States, and we believe this event will be another big step forward in the growth of the game.'

So, why is this happening?

Rugby union, just like every other professional sport, is constantly trying to broaden its appeal by reaching new audiences and new markets. Cracking the American market, dominated as it is by NFL and baseball, is the panacea for all emerging non-US sports.

With a huge Irish immigrant population in and around New York, London Irish have targeted a market where they believe they can grow their supporter base.

Aren’t fans going to be upset? Is it included in season tickets?

Some fans will be annoyed that a so-called ‘home’ game will be played on the other side of the Atlantic but the price of the ticket was not included in season ticket packages sold before the start of the season.

Season ticket holders will be eligible for a 10 per cent discount on tickets for the match. Not quite the same as a trans-Atlantic air fare!

How many people will watch it?

The Red Bull Arena has a capacity of 25,000 and the aim is to The aim is to sell a minimum of 15,000 tickets – London Irish’s average home attendance at the Madejski Stadium last season just under 7,000. The television audience could run into millions.

How much money are people making out of this?

With the added logistical challenge and expense of flying a squad of players to New York, London Irish are unlikely to make a huge windfall in the short term.

In the longer term, benefits to the London Irish brand value – and attractiveness to sponsors – could be significant.

Why is it during the Six Nations?

The match coincides with the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in New York. London Irish have traditionally achieved their biggest crowds of the season on St Patrick’s Day.

Will it be on TV?

All parties involved anticipate the match being screened live on BT Sport with the possibility of it being made free-to-air to increase interest.

BT Sport are expected to screen the match in the US – where Premiership rugby is already screened live – and with a four-hour time difference an early afternoon kick off in NYC would be early evening in the UK.

Is rugby popular in America?

There are around 2,500 rugby union clubs in the US and 450,000 registered players. The sport is growing but it’s still dwarfed by NFL, which can afford to pay player salaries bigger than Premier League football.

Have other sports tried this?

Yes. The Premier League famously attempted to institute a 39th game played overseas each season but backtracked after a furious outcry from fans. Saracens have already staged ‘home’ European fixtures in Belgium and there are plans for county cricket Twenty20 matches in America.