Virginia Football Will Open the 2026 Season in Brazil Against Conference Foe NC State

Virginia is going to have a unique setting to open the 2026 college football season

Sep 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack safety Brody Barnhardt (29) sacks Virginia Cavaliers running back J'Mari Taylor (3) during the second half of the game at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Virginia is preparing to play for the ACC Championship and a College Football Playoff Spot, but their season opener for next year is set and it is a unique one.

Virginia and NC State will take part in College Football Brasil, the first-ever college football game in South America. The two teams will open the 2026 season in a Week 0 matchup on Aug. 29, 2026, at Nilton Santos Stadium (Engenhão) in Rio de Janeiro.

The game will be televised nationally on an ESPN network, with additional streaming options under discussion.

“This is a great opportunity for the University of Virginia and our football program,” Virginia Director of Athletics Carla Williams said. “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.”

College Football Brasil is powered by Athlete Advantage, in partnership with Brasil Sports Business, and with the full support of the Governor of the Rio de Janeiro State, Claudio Castro, and the city of Rio de Janeiro through the Mayor Eduardo Paes, highlighting one of the world’s premier sports cities.

“College Football Brasil represents an extraordinary opportunity for two incredible universities and their football programs to showcase the best of our sport on an international stage while creating unforgettable experiences for student-athletes, fans, and the communities that support them,” said Athlete Advantage CEO Crowley Sullivan. “Rio is the perfect setting for an event of this magnitude, given its unmatched passion for sport and ability to host world-class competition.”

Rio de Janeiro hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1950 and 2014, the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, and Copa America as recently as 2021. The National Football League has held matchups in São Paulo and recently signed a multi-year agreement to bring at least three more games to Brazil over five years, starting with a game in Rio de Janeiro in 2026.

In May 2024, Virginia and NC State announced a home-and-home football non-conference series with NC State, however the matchup will now be played as an ACC conference game. The Cavaliers and Wolfpack played in Raleigh to a dramatic finish earlier this year. First contested in 1904, the Wolfpack lead the all-time series with UVA, 38-22-1. Virginia will still host seven regular-season home games at Scott Stadium in 2026.

“To have NC 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,” stated Commissioner, Atlantic Coast Conference, Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “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.”

Key Facts about College Football Brasil

Historic First: First FBS college football game ever played in South America

Matchup: NC State vs. UVA

Date: Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026

Location: Nilton Santos Stadium (Engenhão), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Broadcast: Nationally televised on an ESPN network, with streaming options under discussion