It’s official: NC State to open 2026 season in Brazil against Virginia in ACC matchup

It’s official. After finalizing a contract to play the first-ever college football game in South America, NC State is set to make history when it opens the 2026 campaign.

The Wolfpack will face off with Virginia in an ACC conference matchup in College Football Brasil at Nilton Santos Stadium (Engenhão) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Aug. 29, 2026, which was officially announced Monday morning. 

The game will be played on an ESPN network with streaming options being considered at this time. Pre-sale tickets begin Monday, while the general public will have full access to purchase tickets beginning Dec. 15.

“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,” Athlete Advantage CEO Crowley Sullivan said . “Rio is the perfect setting for an event of this magnitude, given its unmatched passion for sport and ability to host world-class competition. We are proud to work alongside Brasil Sports Business and Brazilian authorities to make this historic event possible.”

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips shared a similar excitement to have the two conference foes square off in a new market for the first time.

“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,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. “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.”

NC State and Virginia had originally scheduled a non-conference home-and-home, which began with the Wolfpack’s 35-31 win over the Cavaliers this past September. The Pack was supposed to make the return trip to play on the road at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, but this meeting is set to replace it. 

This game marks the first time that NC State will play an international game in program history. It joins a recent trend of international contests at the college level as Dublin has hosted an early-season game in each of the last four seasons, while North Carolina is set to face off with TCU in Ireland to open the 2026 season, which is also set for Aug. 29.

While this marks the first college football game played in Brazil, the NFL has hosted two games in the country over the past two seasons. The Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles met at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo in 2024 before the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers met earlier this season. The NFL is also set to play at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro next fall.

Nilton Santos Stadium, where the Cavaliers and Wolfpack will face off, opened in 2007 and has hosted soccer matches during the 2016 Summer Olympics and several concerts, including Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in 2023. The venue, which notably boasts 185 bars and restaurants within a two-kilometer radius, has a current capacity of 46,931 fans with a natural grass playing surface.

But as NC State prepares to make the trip south to Brazil, the program is eager to transcend college football’s Week 0 next August.

“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,” NC State AD 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.”

NC State’s 2026 football schedule

Aug. 29: vs. Virginia (Rio de Janeiro)*
Sept. 12: vs. Richmond
Sept. 19: at Vanderbilt
Sept. 26: vs. App State

ACC home opponents: Cal, Duke, Louisville and Wake Forest
ACC road opponents: Florida State, North Carolina, Stanford, Virginia*, Virginia Tech