Kansas Football Reportedly Planning Game in London for 2026 Season

College football is continuing its quest to go international.

According to reports from The Post and Courier, the Kansas Jayhawks and Arizona State Sun Devils are in discussions to play in London next season in the first-ever FBS game held there and just the second in Great Britain.

The contest would be set for Sept. 19, 2026, at Wembley Stadium as part of a multi-year deal for the Union Jack Classic. It will also mark the first time KU has ever played a football game outside of the United States.

The first college football game in Great Britain took place back in 1988 between Richmond and Boston University, though those were FCS programs.

Arizona State on the other hand has some international experience, as the Sun Devils played Houston in Tokyo in 1990 in a game they lost.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has made it clear he wants to expand the conference's brand globally, and he already set the tone earlier this season. The 2025 edition of Farmageddon between Iowa State and Kansas State opened the year in Dublin, Ireland, at Aviva Stadium.

That game resulted in an Iowa State win and marked the first time a Big 12 game served as the season opener. However, the listed date for the London matchup between Kansas and Arizona State suggests it would take place later in the year after a few weeks of regular season play.

Kansas On SI's Take

This is a big deal for the Jayhawks, especially since the game will likely count as a home game. Getting this kind of global recognition can certainly help Lance Leipold's program, which has been working to build national relevance for years.

At the same time, there could be drawbacks, such as working with time differences and potentially rainy European weather. Those were factors that affected K-State's game earlier this year for its trip to Ireland, and the Wildcats have yet to recover from that loss.

But even if Kansas doesn't come out on top, the exposure of the game itself strengthens its brand identity and could catch the attention of recruits.

Furthermore, facing a College Football Playoff participant from last season in Arizona State makes it an even bigger deal.

With Phase II stadium construction set to begin at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in 2026, this might also be a convenient way to host a home game without actually playing in Lawrence.

For now, nothing has been made official, but this would be a huge moment for Kansas football if confirmed.

NEWS: Arizona State and Kansas are in discussions to play the first-ever FBS College Football game in London next season, @Brett_McMurphy reports👀

Once finalized, Wembley Stadium would host the Big 12 matchup on Sept. 19, 2026.https://t.co/VZtmJ4okcG pic.twitter.com/ogLpWpvpB5
— On3 (@On3sports) September 18, 2025

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