NC State football’s 2026 opener in Brazil is official. What fans need to know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- NC State football will open 2026 season vs Virginia in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 29.
- Game marks first FBS contest in South America; ESPN will carry broadcast.
- Tickets go on sale Dec. 15 via Ticketmaster Brazil; travel packages will be available.
It’s time for Wolfpack fans to update their passports, because N.C. State football officially announced its trip to Brazil.
N.C. State will open next season against Virginia on Aug. 29 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for College Football Basil and broadcast on an ESPN network. This will be the first FBS football game played in South America. The announcement comes one day after it was announced head coach Dave Doeren is returning to the program in 2026.
“This will be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for our team and program and will be something our guys will remember for their entire lives,” Doeren said in a statement. “We are looking forward to experiencing the culture of Brazil while also providing the fans in Rio an exciting football game against a great opponent.”
Tickets will go on sale on Dec. 15 through ticketmaster.com.br. Travel packages, cultural events and VIP hospitality options will be available at CollegeFootballBrasil.com or through the participating universities.
The event name — College Football Brasil — blends English and represents the American sport with the traditional Portuguese spelling of Brazil. According to the event hosts, Athlete Advantage and Brasil Sports Business, the purpose of the name was to reflect its purpose of “celebrating competition, connection and community.”
“We’re excited about the opportunity to play a game in a beautiful, world-renowned city like Rio de Janeiro and to bring American football to another continent,” N.C. State Athletic Director Boo Corrigan said. “It’s definitely a unique situation to play a road game versus Virginia in Brazil, but it should be an unforgettable experience.”
“This is a great opportunity for the University of Virginia and our football program,” Virginia athletic director Carla Williams added. “UVA is already recognized globally, and this event allows us to expand our international presence, both as a leading academic institution and as a premier athletics program. We’re honored to participate in such a historic event and thrilled that Brazil will be our host.”
Reports emerged two weeks ago about the possibility of N.C. State playing Virginia in a Week 0 contest, but the university was unable to officially confirm the team’s participation or details about the game.
This is the first international game for the Wolfpack or Cavaliers program, though the ACC is familiar with scheduling games in other countries.
Most recently, Georgia Tech defeated Florida State, 24-21, in Dublin, Ireland, as part of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. North Carolina will face TCU on Aug. 29 in that same Dublin event next year, the same day N.C. State is scheduled to be in Brazil. UNC and the city of Dublin announced the game in April during a press conference at Kenan Football Center.
The Cavaliers and Wolfpack were originally scheduled to play a nonconference game in 2026, as part of a home-and-home series.
N.C. State leads the all-time series with Virginia, 37-21-1, winning four straight games and six of the last seven.
The Wolfpack beat the Hoos, 35-31, in a Week 2 nonconference game this season at Carter-Finley Stadium. Defensive end Cian Slone intercepted a pass in the end zone on the Hoos’ final drive of the game to seal the team’s victory.
The Wolfpack trailed by 10 points at halftime, before scoring 21 points in the third quarter. Quarterback CJ Bailey accounted for three touchdowns, one pass to Noah Rogers and two rushing scores, to help lift N.C. State to its second win of the season.
Virginia (10-2) went on to win the regular season, going 7-1 in conference play, and will face Duke (7-5) on Saturday in the ACC Championship game. The Cavaliers were picked to finish No. 14 in the preseason poll. N.C. State (7-5) finished 4-4 in league contests.
“To have N.C. State and Virginia open our conference schedule on an international stage in Rio de Janeiro speaks to the vision, innovation and collaboration of our league,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement. “This is an extraordinary moment for the ACC and for college football. We appreciate College Football Brasil for this incredible opportunity to celebrate our student-athletes and highlight the global appeal of the ACC, our schools and the sport of football. We’re proud of both institutions for leading the way in this historic event and our partners at ESPN, who will broadcast this premier event.”
Rio de Janeiro has been the site for multiple international sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup, the 2016 Olympic Games and Copa America. The NFL held games in São Paulo and agreed to play at least three more games in Brazil over the next five years, including a game next season.
“We are very happy to make the first college football game in Brazil a reality,” said Brazil Sports Business founder Bruno Guilherme. “This project highlights the strength of our partnership with Athlete Advantage and our belief in the power of sport to bring people together. College Football Brasil will be an incredible moment for our country, for the teams and student-athletes, and for the fans who will join us in celebrating this historic experience. In addition, we strongly believe that bringing this level of sporting excellence to Brazil will help elevate the quality of the game.”
This story was originally published December 1, 2025 at 11:32 AM.
