College football will be played in Rio in 2026 | marketing

The event will be the first in college football’s major division (called FBS) in South America, as teams from North Carolina (NC State) and Virginia (UVA) face each other at Nilton Santos Stadium (Ingenhão) on August 29 next year.

The two teams are part of the ACC, the Atlantic Coast Conference, one of the ten FBS conferences, and part of the so-called “Power Four,” a group of the most important conferences in Division I college football.

“NC State and Virginia opening our conference schedule on the international stage in Rio de Janeiro reflects the University’s vision, innovation and collaboration,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement.

The game is valid for the regular season of college football, although it takes place in what is called “Week Zero”, before the start of the regular season, the following week, with some select matchups. Games have been played in Ireland, college football’s most traditional destination, in Week Zero in recent years.

Being traditional and older than the NFL, the professional sports league, college football is very popular in the United States, but less popular in Brazil. The number of teams — 136 in the G League alone compared to 32 in the entire NFL — broadcast contracts split among several U.S. broadcasters and the complexity of the calendar reduce the sport’s visibility in the country.

The game is brought to Brazil by Athlete Advantage, a North American company focused on image rights for universities and college athletes, in partnership with Brazilian event promoter Brasil Sports Business and with support from the Rio de Janeiro State Government and the City of Rio.

“College Football Brasil (the event’s official name) represents an exceptional opportunity for two great universities and their soccer programs to showcase the best of our sport on an international stage, while creating unforgettable experiences for our student-athletes, fans and communities,” said Crowley Sullivan, CEO of Athlete Advantage.

According to the statement, Rio was chosen because of its world-class infrastructure, history of holding major events and passion for football.

“Hosting the college football match in Rio de Janeiro is more than just a sporting event; it is a strategic opportunity to strengthen our relationship with the North American market, which is currently one of the most relevant markets for tourism in the state of Rio,” said Rio de Janeiro State Minister of Tourism Gustavo Totoca. “Visitors from the U.S. have higher spending potential, stay longer in the state and are already a key part of our international growth.”

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on December 15, 2025 through Ticketmaster. Before that, participating universities will open an exclusive pre-sale of tickets and packages to fans on December 1, through each institution’s box office.

The capital of Rio de Janeiro will also host an NFL match in 2026, at the Maracana Stadium, with no date or teams yet set, which is scheduled to be announced in the first half of next year. The city of Rio signed a contract to hold three matches during the next five years.

The NFL previously held two matches in Brazil, in 2024 and 2025, in São Paulo, at the New Quimica Arena, Corinthians’ stadium. There is still no confirmation that the match will be held in the capital, Sao Paulo, next year.