The current NCAA football season is still underway and filled with plenty of excitement as the postseason rapidly approaches. However, it’s never too early to start looking ahead. Especially when history is set to be made.
An ACC matchup between NC State and Virginia on Aug. 29, 2026, is now confirmed to take place at Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This will mark college football’s first FBS game played in South America.
The milestone game is being touted as “College Football Brasil,” and will be televised on ESPN as well as other streaming possibilities in the works.
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In a statement, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips expressed gratitude from all parties involved for making this unique opportunity possible.
“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,” Phillips said. “This is an extraordinary moment for the ACC and for college football.”
The game is being coordinated via Athlete Advantage along with Brazil Sports Business.
Nilton Santos Stadium, which has a capacity of 44,661, was a hosting site for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Rio de Janeiro is the second-largest city in Brazil. In addition to the Summer Olympics, the city has hosted the FIFA World Cup and the Copa America.
Virginia will be denoted as the home team and the game will count in the ACC standings. In the meantime, the Cavaliers still have a lot to play for this season. Virginia will face Duke on Dec. 6 (8 p.m. ET/ABC) in the ACC Championship Game from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
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