Big Ten Announces 2026 Football Schedule

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday dates and league football opponents for the 2026 season.

Three of Iowa’s first four conference games will be played on the road. The Hawkeyes will open conference play at Michigan on Sept. 26. 

Iowa will then host Ohio State in its conference home opener (Oct. 3), before traveling to Washington (Oct. 10) and Minnesota (Oct. 24). It marks just the fourth time – and first time since 1954 – that Iowa plays Michigan and Ohio State in back-to-back weeks. Iowa’s lone bye falls on Oct. 17.

The Hawkeyes will host border-rival Wisconsin for Homecoming on Oct. 31 and then opens the month of November at Northwestern in its new stadium on Nov. 7. The contest against the Badgers will mark the 18th time Iowa plays on Halloween, with the last three times also taking place in Iowa City (2009, 2015 and 2020).

Iowa rounds out the regular season with a home date against Purdue (Nov. 14), at Illinois (Nov. 21), and hosting Nebraska on Black Friday (Nov. 28).

The Hawkeyes open their season with three straight home games in September in Kinnick Stadium hosting Northern Illinois (Sept. 5), Iowa State (Sept. 12) and UNI on Family Weekend (Sept. 19).

Select dates are subject to change once the Big Ten and its media partners agree to the Friday night schedule. Game times and broadcast information for the first three games will be announced the last week of May 2026.

2026 Iowa Football Schedule

Sept. 5	Northern Illinois
Sept. 12	Iowa State
Sept. 19	UNI (FW)
Sept. 26	at Michigan
Oct. 3	Ohio State
Oct. 10	at Washington
Oct. 17	Idle
Oct. 24	at Minnesota
Oct. 31	Wisconsin (HC)
Nov. 7	at Northwestern
Nov. 14	Purdue
Nov. 21	at Illinois
Nov. 27 (Fri.)	Nebraska

SEASON TICKET RENEWAL REMINDER & ON-SALE DATES
Hawkeye fans are reminded that the renewal deadline for University of Iowa football season tickets is March 31, 2026. 

Season ticket prices range from $395–$475 for the public and $375–$455 for UI faculty and staff, depending on seat location. Season tickets provide significant savings compared to purchasing individual games, with fans locking in priority seating for all home contests while avoiding higher single‑game pricing and limited availability.

Contributors and ticket holders will once again enjoy a streamlined renewal process, with I‑Club contributions and season ticket renewals combined into a single transaction. Required seat and parking contributions will appear directly on renewal statements, and flexible payment plans are available to accommodate fans.

Every home game has sold out the past four years. 

2026 Iowa Football Ticket On‑Sale Dates
* Group Theme Day Tickets (Education & Spirit Squad) – Late April/early May
* Fight for Iowa Digital Pass – May 5
* Mini‑Plans (3-game Packages) – June 8–11
* Group Tickets & Hawkeye Village – July 6
* Single‑Game Tickets – July 13–16

2026 Iowa Football Single‑Game Ticket Pricing ^
(Based on seating location)
* Northern Illinois: $49–$69
* Iowa State: $149–$169
* Northern Iowa: $79–$99
* Ohio State: $169–$189
* Wisconsin: $129–$149
* Purdue: $79–$99
* Nebraska: $99–$119

^ All prices do not include 7% sales tax and $4 handling fees.

For more information, visit hawkeyesports.com, call 1‑800‑IA‑HAWKS, or email tickets@hawkeyesports.com.