ACC to Launch โคCollege Football in South America with Historic Rio de Janeiro Game
In a frist for college football, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) will bring a regular season game to South America, with North โCarolina State and Virginia โset to open the 2026 season in Rio de Janeiro,โ Brazil on August 29th. The game, brandedโค ‘College Football โฃBrasil’, will be played at the Estรกdio Olรญmpico Nilton โSantos, home ofโ Botafogo, which has a seating โขcapacity of approximately 46,900.
The fixture will count towards theโ ACC standingsโค and โwill be broadcastโค in โขthe United States on ESPN, with additional streaming options currently being explored.The event โฃis being organizedโ by โthe Athlete Advantageโ agency in partnershipโ with Brazil Sport Business.
Rio de Janeiro has a proven track record of hostingโ major international sporting events, including FIFA World Cup matches, the Olympic โขGames, and the Copa Amรฉrica. The city is also preparing to host its โขfirst National Football League (NFL) โregular season game next year,โข following a multi-year deal that will see at least three โคNFL games played at the โ78,800-seater Maracanรฃ Stadium over the next five years. Previously, Sรฃo Paulo hosted one NFL fixture in both 2024 and 2025. The NFL โฃestimates Brazilโ has over 36 millionโข American football fans, making it the โฃleague’s second-largest international fan base.
According toโค the ACC, rioโ de janeiro was selected due to “its world-class infrastructure, history ofโ hosting global events, and deep passionโ for โขfootball.”
Gustavo Tutuca, Rio de Janeiro’s state secretary of tourism, emphasized the economic benefits โฃof โฃthe game, stating, “Hosting this college American football gameโข in Rio de Janeiro is more than a sporting event, it is aโข strategic opportunity to strengthen our relationship with theโ North American market, currently one of the most relevant for tourism โin โขtheโค state of Rio.” โHe further noted that US visitors “have high spending potential, stay โคlonger โin the state, and already represent a fundamental part of our โฃinternational growth,” and that โthe event will “further increase Rio’s visibility in the US.”
This move reflects a growing trend of collegeโ football โคconferences takingโค games overseas. Dublin will โขagainโ host the Aer Lingus Classic โขin August nextโฃ year, and the Big 12 has confirmed โits first game in London for nextโข year โas well.
ACC Commissioner Jim phillips hailed the event as “an extraordinary moment for the ACC andโฃ for college football,” adding, “To have NC State and Virginia open our conference schedule on an international stageโ in โขRio deโค janeiro speaks โขto โคtheโข vision, innovation, and collaboration of ourโค league.” He also โฃexpressed appreciation for College Football Brasilโ and ESPN for their partnership in bringing the event to โfruition, stating, “We’re proud of both institutions for โคleading the way in this historic event andโค our partners at ESPN who will broadcast thisโฃ premier event.”
