The Atlantic Coast Conference will open the 2026 football season in the national and international spotlight, as game times and television network designations for seven marquee games across Week 0 and Week 1, along with a Black Friday showdown in Week 13, were announced Tuesday.
“We are looking forward to ACC Football once again taking center stage as the season opens. From unique international experiences to five consecutive days of ACC Football over Labor Day weekend, it will be another captivating start, featuring premier matchups that showcase the depth and quality of our programs,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. ‘We appreciate our ongoing partnership with Disney and ESPN, which ensures broad distribution of all games to our alumni and fans.”
The ACC will open the 2026 football season on a global stage, with five teams participating in Week 0 action, including two international contests across Europe and South America.
North Carolina will face TCU in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday, August 29, at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The matchup, scheduled for noon ET on ESPN, will mark the Tar Heels’ first international appearance.
Later that day, NC State and Virginia will meet in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the College Football Brasil, the first college football game played in South America. The conference matchup at Nilton Santos Stadium (Engenhão) is set for a 330p ET kickoff on ESPN.
The ACC will again be prominently featured over Labor Day weekend, with 14 teams competing in 12 games across five days during Week 1. The slate includes two conference matchups, as Miami travels to Stanford on Friday, September 4 (9p ET, ESPN), and SMU visits Florida State on Monday, September 7 (730p ET, ESPN).
The Sunshine Showdown between Florida State and Florida scheduled for Black Friday, November 27, will kick off at 330p ET on ABC in Tallahassee, Florida.