University of North Carolina Athletics
Football’s 2026 Schedule Announced
January 26, 2026 | Football
Heading into year two of the Bill Belichick era in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels will face an exciting slate, as the Atlantic Coast Conference announced North Carolina's 2026 schedule Monday evening.
Carolina will play six home games at Kenan Stadium, including four ACC matchups and two nonconference games. The Tar Heels have five true road games and a neutral site contest in Ireland.
UNC's opponents combined to record a 103-55 (.652) mark last season, including 10 teams that played in a bowl game, nine teams that won eight games or more and three teams that won at least 10 games.
The Tar Heels open the season in Dublin, Ireland, for the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic game against TCU on Saturday, Aug. 29, at Aviva Stadium. Ticket packages can be purchased at http://www.tarheels2ireland.com/.
After returning from Ireland and playing in week zero, Carolina will have a bye week before welcoming East Tennessee State in its home opener on Saturday, Sept. 12. The matchup will be the first meeting between the programs.
The Tar Heels head to Clemson to open ACC play on Saturday, Sept. 19. It will be the second consecutive year Carolina has opened league action against the Tigers and first time the Tar Heels travel to Clemson since 2023.
Following its second bye week of the season, UNC will host Notre Dame on Saturday, Oct. 3, in the Fighting Irish's first visit to Kenan Stadium since 2022. Notre Dame finished the 2025 season with a 10-2 mark and is one of two 10-win teams (Miami) coming to Chapel Hill in 2026.
Consecutive road trips are next on the schedule, as the Tar Heels head to Pitt and Duke. The contest against the Panthers is set for Saturday, Oct. 10 at Acrisure Stadium and the Battle for the Victory Bell will take place Saturday, Oct. 17 at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Four of UNC's final six games are at home. Carolina returns to Kenan Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 24 to welcome Syracuse and will remain at home the following week to host Miami on Halloween. The Hurricanes recently played in the national championship game and finished the season 13-3.
The Tar Heels step out of conference play with a road game at UConn to open the month of November (11/7). It will be the first time Carolina has traveled to East Hartford, Conn., since 2009.
Louisville makes its first trip to Chapel Hill since 2017 on Saturday, Nov. 14, before Carolina travels to Virginia in the "South's Oldest Rivalry" on Saturday, Nov. 21, with the teams having played every year since 1919.
The Tar Heels conclude the regular season in the same way they have in each of the last five years, with a rivalry matchup against NC State on Saturday, Nov. 28, at Kenan Stadium.
The 2026 ACC Championship game is set for Saturday, Dec. 5, at noon on ABC from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Kickoff times and television networks will be announced at a later date.
Season ticket renewals, as well as new season ticket deposits, will go on-sale tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. Fans looking to renew their season tickets can access their renewal application by visiting www.goheels.com/myaccount. Fans wanting to purchase new season tickets may place a season ticket deposit here.
Due to the University operating under Condition 2 of the Adverse Weather Policy on Tuesday, fans wanting to complete their renewals or place new deposits are advised to do so online. The Rams Club priority deadline for season ticket renewals and deposits is Friday, March 6 at 5 p.m.
2026 Carolina Football Schedule
8/29 vs. TCU (Dublin, Ireland)
9/5 Bye Week
9/12 vs. East Tennessee State (Kenan Stadium)
9/19 at Clemson* (Memorial Stadium)
9/26 Bye Week
10/3 vs. Notre Dame (Kenan Stadium)
10/10 at Pitt* (Acrisure Stadium)
10/17 at Duke* (Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium)
10/24 vs. Syracuse* (Kenan Stadium)
10/31 vs. Miami* (Kenan Stadium)
11/7 at UConn (Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field)
11/14 vs. Louisville* (Kenan Stadium)
11/21 at Virginia* (Scott Stadium)
11/28 vs. NC State* (Kenan Stadium)
Home games in bold
*Indicates ACC game
Carolina will play six home games at Kenan Stadium, including four ACC matchups and two nonconference games. The Tar Heels have five true road games and a neutral site contest in Ireland.
UNC's opponents combined to record a 103-55 (.652) mark last season, including 10 teams that played in a bowl game, nine teams that won eight games or more and three teams that won at least 10 games.
The Tar Heels open the season in Dublin, Ireland, for the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic game against TCU on Saturday, Aug. 29, at Aviva Stadium. Ticket packages can be purchased at http://www.tarheels2ireland.com/.
After returning from Ireland and playing in week zero, Carolina will have a bye week before welcoming East Tennessee State in its home opener on Saturday, Sept. 12. The matchup will be the first meeting between the programs.
The Tar Heels head to Clemson to open ACC play on Saturday, Sept. 19. It will be the second consecutive year Carolina has opened league action against the Tigers and first time the Tar Heels travel to Clemson since 2023.
Following its second bye week of the season, UNC will host Notre Dame on Saturday, Oct. 3, in the Fighting Irish's first visit to Kenan Stadium since 2022. Notre Dame finished the 2025 season with a 10-2 mark and is one of two 10-win teams (Miami) coming to Chapel Hill in 2026.
Consecutive road trips are next on the schedule, as the Tar Heels head to Pitt and Duke. The contest against the Panthers is set for Saturday, Oct. 10 at Acrisure Stadium and the Battle for the Victory Bell will take place Saturday, Oct. 17 at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Four of UNC's final six games are at home. Carolina returns to Kenan Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 24 to welcome Syracuse and will remain at home the following week to host Miami on Halloween. The Hurricanes recently played in the national championship game and finished the season 13-3.
The Tar Heels step out of conference play with a road game at UConn to open the month of November (11/7). It will be the first time Carolina has traveled to East Hartford, Conn., since 2009.
Louisville makes its first trip to Chapel Hill since 2017 on Saturday, Nov. 14, before Carolina travels to Virginia in the "South's Oldest Rivalry" on Saturday, Nov. 21, with the teams having played every year since 1919.
The Tar Heels conclude the regular season in the same way they have in each of the last five years, with a rivalry matchup against NC State on Saturday, Nov. 28, at Kenan Stadium.
The 2026 ACC Championship game is set for Saturday, Dec. 5, at noon on ABC from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Kickoff times and television networks will be announced at a later date.
Season ticket renewals, as well as new season ticket deposits, will go on-sale tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. Fans looking to renew their season tickets can access their renewal application by visiting www.goheels.com/myaccount. Fans wanting to purchase new season tickets may place a season ticket deposit here.
Due to the University operating under Condition 2 of the Adverse Weather Policy on Tuesday, fans wanting to complete their renewals or place new deposits are advised to do so online. The Rams Club priority deadline for season ticket renewals and deposits is Friday, March 6 at 5 p.m.
2026 Carolina Football Schedule
8/29 vs. TCU (Dublin, Ireland)
9/5 Bye Week
9/12 vs. East Tennessee State (Kenan Stadium)
9/19 at Clemson* (Memorial Stadium)
9/26 Bye Week
10/3 vs. Notre Dame (Kenan Stadium)
10/10 at Pitt* (Acrisure Stadium)
10/17 at Duke* (Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium)
10/24 vs. Syracuse* (Kenan Stadium)
10/31 vs. Miami* (Kenan Stadium)
11/7 at UConn (Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field)
11/14 vs. Louisville* (Kenan Stadium)
11/21 at Virginia* (Scott Stadium)
11/28 vs. NC State* (Kenan Stadium)
Home games in bold
*Indicates ACC game
UNC Men's Basketball: Tar Heels Battle Back to Top #14 Virginia, 85-80
Saturday, January 24
Carolina Insider - Interview with Reese Brantmeier (Full Segment) - January 23, 2026
Saturday, January 24
UNC Gymnastics: Tar Heels Down Pitt in Carmichael
Saturday, January 24
UNC Women's Basketball: Tar Heels Outlast Georgia Tech, 54-46
Friday, January 23