Notre Dame Football Schedule 2026 is officially set, and it’s a masterclass in brand expansion. The Irish will play in three different NFL stadiums (Lambeau Field, Gillette Stadium, and the JMA Wireless Dome) while navigating a high-stakes “ACC-plus” independent slate.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will play 12 regular-season games in 2026, featuring six home contests at Notre Dame Stadium, four away games, and two neutral-site matchups at NFL venues.
The schedule includes six Atlantic Coast Conference opponents under Notre Dame’s independent scheduling agreement that runs through 2037, alongside traditional rivalry games against Navy, Purdue, and Michigan State.
Marcus Freeman enters his fourth season as head coach with the 2026 slate presenting distinct challenges for College Football Playoff qualification. As an independent program without conference championship access, Notre Dame requires a top-12 CFP ranking to secure postseason participation in the 12-team playoff format.
Table of Contents
2026 Notre Dame Football Schedule Overview
Notre Dame’s 2026 campaign opens Sunday, September 6, 2026, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, marking the first Shamrock Series game hosted at the historic NFL venue. The Fighting Irish conclude the regular season Saturday, November 28, 2026, at Syracuse’s JMA Wireless Dome.
The schedule features three neutral-site games at professional stadiums:
- Lambeau Field (Green Bay, Wisconsin) vs. Wisconsin
- Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Massachusetts) vs. Navy
- JMA Wireless Dome (Syracuse, New York) at Syracuse
Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, will host six home games between September and November. The 77,622-capacity venue underwent a $400 million renovation completed in 2017, providing premium seating and enhanced fan amenities.
Complete 2026 Game Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Venue | Game Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, September 6, 2026 | Wisconsin | Green Bay, WI | Lambeau Field | Neutral Site |
| Saturday, September 12, 2026 | Rice | South Bend, IN | Notre Dame Stadium | Home |
| Saturday, September 19, 2026 | Michigan State | South Bend, IN | Notre Dame Stadium | Home |
| Saturday, September 26, 2026 | Purdue | West Lafayette, IN | Ross-Ade Stadium | Away |
| Friday, October 3, 2026 | North Carolina | Chapel Hill, NC | Kenan Memorial Stadium | Away |
| Saturday, October 10, 2026 | Stanford | South Bend, IN | Notre Dame Stadium | Home |
| Saturday, October 17, 2026 | BYU | Provo, UT | LaVell Edwards Stadium | Away |
| Saturday, October 24, 2026 | BYE WEEK | — | — | — |
| Saturday, October 31, 2026 | Navy | Foxborough, MA | Gillette Stadium | Neutral Site |
| Saturday, November 7, 2026 | Miami | South Bend, IN | Notre Dame Stadium | Home |
| Saturday, November 14, 2026 | Boston College | South Bend, IN | Notre Dame Stadium | Home |
| Saturday, November 21, 2026 | SMU | South Bend, IN | Notre Dame Stadium | Home |
| Saturday, November 28, 2026 | Syracuse | Syracuse, NY | JMA Wireless Dome | Away |
Kickoff times and television broadcast assignments will be announced in July 2026. NBC Sports holds exclusive rights to Notre Dame home games through a media agreement, while neutral-site and away games may appear on ESPN, ABC, or Fox networks.
Notre Dame Home Games 2026
Notre Dame Stadium hosts six games during the 2026 season:
Saturday, September 12, 2026: Rice Owls visit South Bend for a non-conference matchup. Rice competes in the American Athletic Conference, and last played Notre Dame in 2017.
Saturday, September 19, 2026: Michigan State renews the rivalry series resumed in 2023. The Spartans compete in the Big Ten Conference under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who joined Michigan State after his tenure at Northwestern ended in 2023. Notre Dame and Michigan State will compete for the Megaphone Trophy.
Saturday, October 10, 2026: Stanford Cardinal travels from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cardinal joined the ACC in 2024 after the Pac-12 Conference realignment. Notre Dame leads the all-time series, and the teams compete for the Legends Trophy.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: Miami Hurricanes arrive as defending national championship game participants from the 2025 season. The ACC matchup carries significant College Football Playoff resume implications.
Saturday, November 14, 2026: Boston College Eagles compete for the Frank Leahy Memorial Bowl, honoring the legendary coach who led both programs. Boston College joined the ACC in 2005.
Saturday, November 21, 2026: SMU Mustangs make their first trip to Notre Dame Stadium since 1989. SMU joined the ACC in 2024 following American Athletic Conference membership.
The new $500 million football support facility along Courtney Lane on Notre Dame’s east campus will open in fall 2026, coinciding with the home schedule. The facility includes player development spaces, sports medicine areas, and recruiting tour infrastructure.
Notre Dame Away Games 2026
Four true road games appear on the 2026 schedule:
Saturday, September 26, 2026: Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, hosts the annual Shillelagh Trophy rivalry against Purdue. The Boilermakers compete in the Big Ten Conference. Notre Dame leads the all-time series 59-26-2 through the 2025 season.
Friday, October 3, 2026: Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, features Bill Belichick in his second season as the Tar Heels’ head coach. Belichick transitioned to college football in 2025 after multiple NFL championships with the New England Patriots. The Friday night kickoff represents Notre Dame’s only weeknight game in 2026.
Saturday, October 17, 2026: LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, presents a 7,200-foot altitude challenge. BYU competes in the Big 12 Conference following independent status through 2022. The Cougars maintain one of college football’s largest national fan bases.
Saturday, November 28, 2026: JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York, concludes the regular season. Former Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli transferred to Syracuse in 2025 and will face his previous program. The indoor venue seats 49,250 for football.
Notre Dame Neutral Site Games 2026
Shamrock Series at Lambeau Field
Sunday, September 6, 2026: Wisconsin Badgers and Notre Dame meet at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Shamrock Series features special uniform designs and alternate branding for Notre Dame’s traveling showcase games.
Lambeau Field, home to the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, seats 81,441 for football. The venue opened in 1957 and represents one of professional football’s most historic facilities. This marks the first Shamrock Series game hosted at Lambeau Field since the series began in 2009.
Notre Dame leads the all-time series against Wisconsin 11-5-1. The programs last met in the 2023 College Football Playoff semifinal, which Alabama won after defeating both teams in the tournament.
Navy Game at Gillette Stadium
Saturday, October 31, 2026: Navy Midshipmen face Notre Dame at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The venue serves as home to the NFL’s New England Patriots and seats 65,878.
The Notre Dame-Navy rivalry extends to its 98th meeting in 2026. Notre Dame leads the series 81-13-1 through the 2025 season. The programs maintain their annual matchup due to historical ties from World War II, when Navy training programs at Notre Dame prevented the university’s financial collapse.
Navy competes in the American Athletic Conference as a football-only member while maintaining independent status in other sports. The Midshipmen operate under unique service academy recruiting and scholarship constraints.
ACC Scheduling Agreement Impact
Notre Dame plays six Atlantic Coast Conference opponents in 2026 under a scheduling agreement established in 2013 and extended through 2037. The Fighting Irish maintain football independence while participating in ACC competition for other sports.
The 2026 ACC opponents include:
- North Carolina (away)
- Stanford (home)
- Miami (home)
- Boston College (home)
- SMU (home)
- Syracuse (away)
Notre Dame does not participate in the ACC Championship Game and receives no automatic College Football Playoff berth through conference affiliation. The program must achieve a top-12 CFP ranking through regular-season performance and strength of schedule metrics.
ACC programs receive revenue sharing from Notre Dame’s NBC broadcasting agreement when the Fighting Irish host conference opponents at Notre Dame Stadium. This financial arrangement provides mutual benefit within the scheduling partnership.
Strength of Schedule Analysis
Notre Dame’s 2026 schedule includes opponents from five conferences:
- Atlantic Coast Conference (6 games)
- Big Ten Conference (3 games)
- Big 12 Conference (1 game)
- American Athletic Conference (2 games)
- FBS Independent (0 games, excluding Notre Dame)
Projected strength of schedule metrics depend on 2025 season results and recruiting class performance. Miami enters 2026 following a national championship game appearance in 2025. BYU, Wisconsin, and Michigan State finished the 2025 season with bowl game victories.
The independent scheduling model requires Notre Dame to balance competitive strength with geographic diversity and television appeal. The program maintains relationships with traditional rivals (Navy, Purdue, Michigan State) while accommodating ACC partnership requirements and marquee non-conference matchups.
Bill Belichick’s North Carolina program represents a strategic scheduling opportunity. The six-time Super Bowl-winning coach’s transition to college football generated national media attention, elevating the October 3 matchup’s broadcast value and recruiting exposure.
College Football Playoff Implications
The 12-team College Football Playoff format awards automatic qualification to the five highest-ranked conference champions. Seven at-large berths accommodate programs like Notre Dame without conference championship game access.
Notre Dame requires a top-12 CFP ranking for playoff inclusion. The selection committee evaluates the strength of schedule, head-to-head results, common opponents, and overall record. Independent status eliminates conference championship game participation, removing both a potential quality win opportunity and injury risk exposure.
Historical CFP selection patterns show independent Notre Dame receiving at-large berths in the 2018 and 2020 seasons. The program missed playoff selection in 2024 despite an 11-1 regular season, highlighting the narrow margin for error without conference affiliation.
A projected 10-2 record may not guarantee CFP selection depending on conference champions’ profiles. An 11-1 season with victories over Miami, Wisconsin, and BYU would strengthen Notre Dame’s playoff resume through quality win accumulation.
The October 24 bye week provides preparation time before the Navy neutral-site game and the critical November home stretch featuring Miami, Boston College, and SMU.
How to Watch Notre Dame Football Games
NBC Sports broadcasts all Notre Dame home games under an exclusive media rights agreement established in 1991. The partnership extends through the 2029 season with a contract valued at approximately $15 million annually.
Home game broadcasts appear on NBC’s traditional television network and stream on Peacock, NBC’s digital platform. Mike Tirico provides play-by-play commentary for marquee matchups, with additional broadcast teams assigned to other home games.
Neutral-site and away games receive broadcast assignments from ESPN, ABC, Fox Sports, or conference-specific networks, depending on opponent and competitive significance. The ACC Network may carry Notre Dame away games against ACC opponents when other broadcast partners do not exercise primary selection rights.
Kickoff times for 2026 games will be announced in July 2026, following spring practice evaluations and recruiting class enrollment. Notre Dame’s independent status allows flexible scheduling compared to conference-mandated broadcast windows.
Notre Dame Football Tickets 2026
Season ticket packages for Notre Dame Stadium provide guaranteed access to all six home games. The university allocates season tickets through priority points accumulated via athletic department donations, alumni association membership, and previous ticket purchase history.
Single-game tickets typically release in July 2026 after the university fulfills season ticket holder, student section, and visiting team allocation requirements. The Notre Dame ticket office operates primary sales through und.com/tickets.
Secondary market platforms, including StubHub, Vivid Seats, and SeatGeek, offer resale tickets for all games. Neutral-site games at Lambeau Field and Gillette Stadium feature separate ticketing systems through the respective venue box offices and host team allocations.
Student tickets require current Notre Dame enrollment verification. The student section occupies sections 26-29 behind the east end zone at Notre Dame Stadium.
Premium seating options include club seats, loge boxes, and field-level suites with amenity access. The 2017 stadium renovation added 3,000 premium seats across multiple pricing tiers.
Notre Dame Stadium Game Day Experience
Notre Dame Stadium, located at 113 Joyce Center Drive in South Bend, Indiana, seats 77,622 for football. The facility opened in 1930 and underwent major expansions in 1997 and 2017.
Parking requires advance permits purchased through the Notre Dame athletic department. Campus lots open four hours before kickoff. Public parking operates at the Century Center in downtown South Bend with shuttle service to campus.
Tailgating regulations permit cooking equipment and tents on university property with appropriate permits. Alcohol consumption follows university policies prohibiting hard liquor in outdoor campus areas. Private lots surrounding the campus allow independent tailgating operations.
The Notre Dame Marching Band performs pregame and halftime shows at all home games. The band’s traditional entrance from the Hesburgh Library steps to the stadium gates occurs 90 minutes before kickoff.
Student traditions include the “1812 Overture” played during the fourth quarter when Notre Dame leads. The fight song “Notre Dame Victory March” plays following Fighting Irish scores.
Concession stands throughout the stadium offer standard stadium fare, with premium seating areas providing enhanced dining options. Notre Dame Stadium prohibits outside food and beverages except for medical or infant care purposes.
Rivalry Games and Trophy Competitions
Shillelagh Trophy vs. Purdue
The Jeweled Shillelagh awards the winner of the Notre Dame-Purdue games annually. The trophy features emerald-adorned shamrocks commemorating each Notre Dame victory and rubies marking Purdue wins. Notre Dame leads the series 59-26-2 through 2025.
Megaphone Trophy vs. Michigan State
Michigan State and Notre Dame compete for the Megaphone Trophy, introduced in 1949. The series resumed in 2023 after a hiatus from 2014 to 2022. Michigan State leads the all-time series 29-28-1.
Legends Trophy vs. Stanford
The Legends Trophy honors the Notre Dame-Stanford competition since 1988. The trophy design features both schools’ logos and acknowledges the programs’ academic prestige. Notre Dame leads the series 21-13 through 2025.
Navy Rivalry
Notre Dame and Navy maintain college football’s longest continuous intersectional rivalry since 1927. The programs skip trophy competition but honor the military service partnership that preserved Notre Dame’s operations during World War II. Notre Dame’s campus hosted Navy V-12 training programs from 1942 to 1945, generating revenue that prevented university closure.
Marcus Freeman’s Fourth Season
Marcus Freeman completes his third full recruiting cycle entering the 2026 season. The 2026 recruiting class ranks third nationally with commitments from four five-star prospects, including consensus top-15 player Rodney Dunham at edge rusher.
Freeman’s defensive coordinator background from Cincinnati and Notre Dame (2021) shaped his coaching philosophy, emphasizing aggressive defensive line play and versatile linebacker deployment. The 39-year-old Ohio native became Notre Dame’s youngest head coach when appointed in 2021.
Career record through 2025: Freeman accumulated a 28-11 record across three seasons, including two New Year’s Six bowl appearances. The 2025 campaign ended following an 11-1 regular season that did not result in a CFP selection.
NFL interest from multiple franchises emerged following the 2025 season, but Freeman signed a contract extension keeping him at Notre Dame through 2030. The extension increased his annual salary to approximately $8 million.
Notre Dame 2026 Roster Projections
The 2026 season features returning production from the 2025 roster alongside incoming freshman talent from the top-five recruiting class. Key position groups include:
Quarterback: The depth chart projects returning experience from 2025 contributors. Notre Dame’s quarterback room historically develops NFL draft prospects under offensive coordinator Gerad Parker.
Defensive Line: Five-star recruit Rodney Dunham joins a rotation that includes returning starters from 2025. Freeman’s defensive scheme emphasizes edge pressure and interior disruption.
Offensive Line: Notre Dame’s offensive line recruiting classes from 2023 to 2026 include multiple four-star prospects. The 2017 Joe Moore Award-winning program maintains a strong position in group development.
Transfer portal additions will supplement the roster between January and April 2026. Notre Dame participated actively in portal recruitment during previous cycles, particularly for immediate-impact positions.
FAQs About Notre Dame Football Schedule 2026
When does Notre Dame play its first game in 2026?
Notre Dame opens the 2026 season Sunday, September 6, 2026, against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
How many home games does Notre Dame have in 2026?
Notre Dame hosts six home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, during the 2026 season.
What channel broadcasts Notre Dame home games?
NBC Sports holds exclusive broadcast rights to all Notre Dame home games, with streaming available on Peacock.
When is the Notre Dame vs Navy game in 2026?
Notre Dame faces Navy on Saturday, October 31, 202,6 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Does Notre Dame play USC in 2026?
No. USC does not appear on Notre Dame’s 2026 schedule. The rivalry series rotates annually based on independent scheduling flexibility and USC’s Big Ten Conference commitments.
When is Notre Dame vs Miami in 2026?
Miami visits Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, November 7, 2026, in a critical ACC scheduling agreement matchup.
What is Notre Dame’s bye week in 2026?
Notre Dame’s bye week falls on Saturday, October 24, 2026, positioned between the BYU road game and the Navy neutral-site contest.
Where can I buy Notre Dame football tickets for 2026?
Primary ticket sales operate through und.com/tickets. Single-game tickets typically release in July 2026 after season ticket allocations.
Is Notre Dame in a conference for football?
Notre Dame maintains independent status for football while competing in the ACC for other sports. The program plays six ACC opponents annually under a scheduling agreement through 2037.
Can Notre Dame make the College Football Playoff as an independent?
Yes. Notre Dame qualifies for the 12-team CFP through at-large selection with a top-12 ranking. The program receives no automatic conference champion qualification.
South Bend Travel Information
South Bend, Indiana, sits 90 miles east of Chicago, Illinois, and 140 miles north of Indianapolis, Indiana. The city’s population exceeds 103,000 residents within city limits.
Airports: South Bend International Airport (SBN) provides regional service 10 miles northwest of campus. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) offers extensive domestic and international connections 90 miles west, with ground transportation available via private shuttle, rental car, or ride-sharing services.
Hotels: Properties surrounding Notre Dame Stadium fill capacity during football weekends. Major chains, including Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt, operate locations within five miles of campus. Advance reservations for September through November game weekends require booking 3-6 months prior.
Dining: Downtown South Bend features local restaurants concentrated along Michigan Street, including Fiddler’s Hearth Irish pub and LaSalle Kitchen & Tavern. Campus-adjacent Eddy Street Commons provides dining and retail options within walking distance of Notre Dame Stadium.
Notre Dame Football Schedule 2026 Season Outlook
Notre Dame’s 2026 campaign presents pathways to College Football Playoff qualification through quality wins against ACC opponents and non-conference programs with national rankings potential. The independent scheduling model requires near-perfect execution with a maximum of two losses to maintain top-12 CFP consideration.
Strength of schedule metrics benefit from matchups against Miami (2025 national championship game participant), Wisconsin (traditional Big Ten power), and Bill Belichick’s North Carolina program. BYU’s Big 12 Conference membership and 2025 bowl victory add resume value for Provo road test.
The Shamrock Series at Lambeau Field provides national television exposure and recruiting visibility in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota markets. Gillette Stadium’s Boston-area location for the Navy game serves similar recruiting territory purposes.
Marcus Freeman’s fourth season determines long-term program trajectory following the 2025 CFP exclusion. The 2026 recruiting class ranked third nationally and provides immediate talent infusion, while transfer portal additions fill experience gaps from 2025 departures.
Notre Dame’s independent status allows scheduling flexibility but requires championship-caliber performance without conference tournament safety nets. The 12-game regular season concludes November 28, 2026, with a bowl game or CFP selection determined by final rankings in early December 2026.
