Navy & Notre Dame Will Play at New England's Gillette Stadium in 2026

Joe Londergan | Nov 14, 2024

Oct 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Navy Midshipmen stand for the Navy alma mater after their game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In a joint press release distributed Tuesday, United States Naval Academy and the Kraft Group announced that the 2026 edition of the historic college football rivalry between the Navy Midshipmen and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

The game will mark the first time that the rivalry game will be played at the home of the NFL's New England Patriots. The game is scheduled for October 31, 2026.

“The extraordinary effort put forth by the Kraft Group, the New England Patriots and the entire New England area for the 2023 Army-Navy Game made it logical to bring back another great rivalry, the 99th playing of the Navy-Notre Dame Game, to Gillette Stadium on Oct. 31, 2026,” said Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk. “The Boston area is a terrific place to visit in the fall and I have no doubt both Navy and Notre Dame fans will pack Gillette Stadium.”

“We are thrilled to host the 2026 Navy-Notre Dame Game and welcome these two historic programs and their passionate fan bases to Gillette Stadium for the first time in this storied, century-long rivalry,” said Robert Kraft, Chairman and CEO of The Kraft Group. “We are honored that Navy has chosen Gillette Stadium and our region as the host for the 99th playing of this game steeped in tradition. New England has a deep appreciation for competition at the highest level and the sacrifices and cohesive teamwork that reaching such heights requires. The Midshipmen and Fighting Irish epitomize this, and we look forward to welcoming one of the gridiron’s greatest rivalries to Gillette Stadium in 2026.”

This will mark Navy's second time playing in the venue after also playing in the 2023 Army-Navy game in Foxborough. It will be Notre Dame's first time playing in Gillette Stadium.

Ticketing info and other details will be made available at a later date.

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