Cats to open new Ryan Field on Oct. 2 vs. Penn State
Northwestern announced on Tuesday what had long been rumored: the Wildcats will not play their 2026 season opener at their new $862 million Ryan Field this season.
Instead, the Wildcats will play their first two games — against South Dakota State on Sept. 5 and Colorado on Sept. 19 — at Martin Stadium, the temporary stadium on the lakefront where they’ve played their home games the last two seasons.
They will then open their new stadium on Oct. 2 in a Big Ten contest against Penn State, and play the remainder of their home games there.
This delayed opening has been a poorly kept secret around Evanston for the last couple years as a late start to construction in 2024 and subsequent weather delays pushed the target date to “mid-September.”
One benefit of the delay is that the opening game will be 100 years to the day that the original Ryan Field hosted its first game in 1926. A Big Ten game against a marquee opponent like Penn State also figures to be more appealing to fans for the curtain-raiser than playing an FCS program.
“We are incredibly appreciative of our remarkable workers, subcontractors and our partners at Central Street Consortium for being on track to deliver the new Ryan Field on time, despite the unexpected number of weather days that we’ve experienced,” said CEO of Ryan Sports Development Pat Ryan Jr. in a Northwestern release “We also sincerely appreciate the patience of our neighbors throughout the construction process.”
Northwestern’s new stadium will seat 35,000 fans, 12,000 fewer than the old Ryan Field, which was already the smallest venue in the Big Ten. Officials promise state-of-the-art amenities and an elevated fan experience.
Athletic director Mark Jackson called the new Ryan Field “the nation’s greatest college football stadium” in a release.
“The opener against Penn State presented by FOX Sports provides us with an extraordinary stage to showcase the incredible stadium and the culture that Head Coach David Braun has established,” Jackson said in a statement. “We appreciate the dedication and support of our fans and campus community, and we look forward to welcoming them to the nation’s greatest college football stadium that will elevate the student-athlete experience and bring us together in powerful and memorable ways.”
