Greenwich football’s 2026 schedule includes battle of state champs, grudge matches and more

The Cardinals have captured back-to-back CIAC state titles the last two years

The Greenwich football team went 11-2 and captured the CIAC Class LL title last season. The Cardinals have won two state championships in a row and three in the previous four years. / Bill Berg

The Greenwich football team recently capped another successful season for the program.

The Cardinals, who went 11-2 last season, captured their second consecutive CIAC state crown and third in the previous four years. Greenwich made its run to the Class LL championship game as the third seed.

Greenwich will have its sights set on a 3-peat, but the 2026 season will come with some challenges.

Bridgeport will be Greenwich’s opponent in the Cardinals’ home opener. The matchup will be followed by an away game against New Britain.

The Golden Hurricanes, 8-2 last season and a fellow Class LL program, were the top seed in the Class LL state playoffs. New Britain, however, fell victim to a 35-0 upset in the quarterfinals against eighth-seeded Norwich Free Academy.

The last time Greenwich faced New Britain was on Dec. 3, 2024, when the Cardinals came away with a 27-6 win in the Class LL quarterfinals.

Greenwich’s week three contest will be at home against Fairfield Warde. The Mustangs compiled a 5-5 record and missed the postseason last year.

In week four, the Cardinals go up against Newtown at home. It is teams’ first matchup since Sept. 9, 2022, a game that Greenwich won 34-14.

The Nighthawks were the second seed in the Class L playoffs and fell 24-13 to seventh-seeded Ridgefield in the quarterfinals.

Greenwich’s week five game will be on the road against Norwalk, who finished 6-4 last year. Week 6 through 10, however, will be the Cardinals’ toughest tests of their campaign.

The five-game stretch includes three away matchups, which starts with a week five contest against New Canaan in a battle of state champions on the Cardinals’ home turf.

The Rams went 13-0 and captured the CIAC Class L title in 2025. New Canaan’s victories include a 14-7 triumph over Greenwich on Oct. 24.

Ridgefield, who went 8-4 and reached the Class L semifinals before losing 21-0 to third-seeded Cheshire, is the Cardinals’ week seven opponent. The last meeting between the teams was on Nov. 10, 2023, which was a 35-0 result in favor of Greenwich.

Wilton, who will be Greenwich’s week eight opponent at home, handed the Cardinals their only other loss last season (a 7-3 final). The Warriors finished with a 10-3 record and made it to the Class MM semifinals as the second seed but lost a 21-20 heartbreaker to third-seeded Bunnell.

Greenwich rounds out its regular season with back-to-back road games versus St. Joseph and Staples.

The Cadets, 9-3 last season, were the top seed in the Class M playoffs. St. Joseph went on to fall 6-3 to fifth-seeded Brookfield in the semifinals.

Greenwich and St. Joseph previously met on Nov. 1, 2024, which ended with a 23-14 victory for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals beat Staples (5-6) twice last season, once on Thanksgiving and the other a 41-7 result in the Class LL quarterfinals. The Wreckers were the sixth seed in the postseason.

2026 Greenwich Cardinals Varsity Football Schedule

Week 1 – vs. Bridgeport Central

Week 2 – at New Britain

Week 3 – vs. Fairfield Warde

Week 4 – vs. Newtown

Week 5 – at Norwalk

Week 6 – vs. New Canaan

Week 7 – at Ridgefield

Week 8 – vs. Wilton

Week 9 – at St. Joseph

Week 10 – at Staples

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