It’ll be fish and chips and a walk around Buckingham Palace for the Kansas football team in 2026.
Oh, and there’ll also be a game worth paying attention to.
The Big 12 Conference on Wednesday announced that Kansas and Arizona State will play a conference game against each other in London, England on Sept. 19, 2026 at famed Wembley Stadium in the Union Jack Classic.
The battle between the Jayhawks and Sun Devils will mark the first college football game ever played at the iconic soccer stadium, which, for decades, has been the official home of the English National Team.
KU coach Lance Leipold, who will be in Year 6 with the program when the game rolls around, called it a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity for the Jayhawks, adding that KU was "excited to be part of college football's international growth in its infancy, as the sport continues to expand globally.
Leipold has been eyeing international opportunities for his program to play in since he arrived at KU, and getting to be one of the first college teams to play in such an iconic setting certainly qualifies as an eye-popping opportunity.
The venue holds 90,000 for soccer matches and, in 2024, held 86,651 fans for an NFL game between the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Jaguars will return to Wembley later this month for an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 19.
Clearly, the stadium is no stranger to hosting American football alongside its national pastime.
But the Jayhawks and Sun Devils will be the first two teams to bring the college game to the venue, which is no small feat in the eyes of KU leaders.
“This is the perfect moment in time for Kansas football to blaze an uncharted trail to historic Wembley Stadium in London,” KU AD Travis Goff said in a news release announcing the game, which has been rumored to be in the works for weeks. “This opportunity is reflective of the growth and trajectory of our football program and the entire university, and will provide our fans and student-athletes an unprecedented experience. We’re excited that our season-ticket holders and students will still have six opportunities to watch a game at The Booth next season as that project is being completed, while also having the chance to see the Jayhawks play internationally for the first time ever.”
The game technically will be a home game for the Jayhawks. But KU still will have six home games in Lawrence in 2026, at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, which is expected to be in the middle of the Phase II construction project to rebuild the east stands and, therefore, likely to have a seating capacity for the 2026 season that is significantly lower than the 41,525 seats available this season.
It’s not just the Jayhawks who are excited about the opportunity one year from now.
The Union Jack Classic will be the third Big 12 football game played in Europe in a two-year span, starting this season with Iowa State’s and K-State’s 2025 season opener in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland. TCU will face North Carolina in the same event to open the 2026 season.
“I’m thrilled that Big 12 football will be heading to London for the first-ever college football game at Wembley Stadium,” Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said in the release. “I’ve often said my goal is for the Big 12 to be the most globally relevant conference in college athletics. Expanding our international presence will elevate our brand, create new opportunities for student-athletes, and open the door to meaningful commercial growth for the league.”
Added Union Jack Classic Chairman Brian Dubiski: “We are proud to make history by bringing American college football to London on a global stage. Hosting two elite Big 12 programs at Wembley Stadium positions this matchup as the premier international showcase (in the) sport, and we look forward to delivering an unforgettable experience for fans and partners worldwide.”
The Jayhawks’ matchup with the Sun Devils will take place during Week 3 of the 2026 season.
Tickets will go on sale later this week on selected days for current KU season-ticket holders. Tickets will be opened up to the general public on Oct. 9.
Check out this KU site for more information on the game, tickets and travel packages.
— For tickets to all KU athletic events, visit kuathletics.com
