2026 Football Schedule Announced
January 26, 2026 | Football
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville learned its full 2026 football schedule Monday evening as part of the ACC Huddle: Football Schedule Release on ACC Network and ESPN2.
Louisville will open the fourth season under head coach Jeff Brohm with a neutral-site game versus Mississippi on either Sept. 5 or Sept. 6 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. It will be the second time since 2021 that the Cardinals will open the season against the Rebels in a neutral-site game. The Rebels defeated the Cardinals 43-24 in Atlanta, Ga., to kickoff the 2021 season.
The Cardinals will return home for three straight games at L&N Stadium, including the home opener against Villanova on Friday, Sept. 11. Louisville opens the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference slate with home games against SMU on Saturday, Sept. 19 and Wake Forest on Saturday, Sept. 26. Louisville has yet to beat SMU since the Mustangs joined the league in 2024. The Cardinals will play the Demon Deacons for the first time since a 48-21 win over No. 10 Wake Forest in 2022.
The Cardinals hit the road for their first true road game on Oct. 3 when UofL plays at NC State for the first time since a 13-10 win at Raleigh in 2023.
Louisville returns home to face Florida State on Friday, Oct. 9 before making its first trip to Syracuse since the 2022 season opener. The Orange dominated the Cards 31-7 in the JMA Wireless Dome. The Cardinals and Seminoles face off for the first time since the 2023 ACC Championship.
After the first bye week of the season, the Cardinals host Stanford for the first time on Oct. 31 before traveling to Georgia Tech on either Friday, Nov. 6 or Saturday, Nov. 7.v ACC will finalize the date at a later time.
Louisville hits the road for the second-straight week when it plays at North Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 14 for the first time since 2017 when Lamar Jackson and the Cards opened the season with a 47-35 win over the Tar Heels. The Cardinals close out their home schedule when they face Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov. 21.
The 2026 regular season comes to a close when the Cardinals face Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 28 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. The Cardinals handled the Wildcats 41-14 to close out the 2024 season in their last trip to Lexington.
2026 football season tickets are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased directly through Ticketmaster, or fans interested in learning more about available options may complete a season ticket interest form. Season tickets start at just $163, and fans who purchase now can take advantage of a seven-month, interest-free payment plan with payments extended through August.
2026 Louisville Football Schedule
Saturday or Sunday, Sept. 5 or 6 vs. Mississippi – Nashville, Tenn.
Friday, September 11 vs. Villanova – Louisville
Saturday, September 19 vs. SMU – Louisville
Saturday, September 26 vs. Wake Forest – Louisville
Saturday, October 3 at NC State – Raleigh, N.C.
Friday, October 9 vs. Florida State – Louisville
Saturday, October 17 at Syracuse – Syracuse, N.Y.
Saturday, October 24 – BYE
Saturday, October 31 vs. Stanford – Louisville
Friday or Saturday, November 6 or 7 at Georgia Tech – Atlanta, Ga.
Saturday, November 14 at North Carolina – Chapel Hill, N.C.
Saturday, November 21 vs. Pittsburgh – Louisville
Saturday, November 28 at Kentucky – Lexington, Ky.
Louisville will open the fourth season under head coach Jeff Brohm with a neutral-site game versus Mississippi on either Sept. 5 or Sept. 6 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. It will be the second time since 2021 that the Cardinals will open the season against the Rebels in a neutral-site game. The Rebels defeated the Cardinals 43-24 in Atlanta, Ga., to kickoff the 2021 season.
The Cardinals will return home for three straight games at L&N Stadium, including the home opener against Villanova on Friday, Sept. 11. Louisville opens the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference slate with home games against SMU on Saturday, Sept. 19 and Wake Forest on Saturday, Sept. 26. Louisville has yet to beat SMU since the Mustangs joined the league in 2024. The Cardinals will play the Demon Deacons for the first time since a 48-21 win over No. 10 Wake Forest in 2022.
The Cardinals hit the road for their first true road game on Oct. 3 when UofL plays at NC State for the first time since a 13-10 win at Raleigh in 2023.
Louisville returns home to face Florida State on Friday, Oct. 9 before making its first trip to Syracuse since the 2022 season opener. The Orange dominated the Cards 31-7 in the JMA Wireless Dome. The Cardinals and Seminoles face off for the first time since the 2023 ACC Championship.
After the first bye week of the season, the Cardinals host Stanford for the first time on Oct. 31 before traveling to Georgia Tech on either Friday, Nov. 6 or Saturday, Nov. 7.v ACC will finalize the date at a later time.
Louisville hits the road for the second-straight week when it plays at North Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 14 for the first time since 2017 when Lamar Jackson and the Cards opened the season with a 47-35 win over the Tar Heels. The Cardinals close out their home schedule when they face Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov. 21.
The 2026 regular season comes to a close when the Cardinals face Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 28 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. The Cardinals handled the Wildcats 41-14 to close out the 2024 season in their last trip to Lexington.
2026 football season tickets are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased directly through Ticketmaster, or fans interested in learning more about available options may complete a season ticket interest form. Season tickets start at just $163, and fans who purchase now can take advantage of a seven-month, interest-free payment plan with payments extended through August.
2026 Louisville Football Schedule
Saturday or Sunday, Sept. 5 or 6 vs. Mississippi – Nashville, Tenn.
Friday, September 11 vs. Villanova – Louisville
Saturday, September 19 vs. SMU – Louisville
Saturday, September 26 vs. Wake Forest – Louisville
Saturday, October 3 at NC State – Raleigh, N.C.
Friday, October 9 vs. Florida State – Louisville
Saturday, October 17 at Syracuse – Syracuse, N.Y.
Saturday, October 24 – BYE
Saturday, October 31 vs. Stanford – Louisville
Friday or Saturday, November 6 or 7 at Georgia Tech – Atlanta, Ga.
Saturday, November 14 at North Carolina – Chapel Hill, N.C.
Saturday, November 21 vs. Pittsburgh – Louisville
Saturday, November 28 at Kentucky – Lexington, Ky.
The Card Tape: Boca Raton Bowl
Friday, December 26
FB: Bush's Boca Raton Bowl Postgame Press Conference
Wednesday, December 24
FB: Highlights vs. Kentucky
Sunday, November 30
The Card Tape: Virginia Tech
Monday, November 03
