The arms race in college football continues to grow. Three FBS schools are building new stadiums in the future – USF, Northwestern, and Hawaii. Bookmark this page for the latest updates on new college football stadiums in development.
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Newest College Football Stadiums In Development
Unnamed USF Football Stadium: 2027
USF revealed renderings for its new on-campus stadium on Dec. 5. The school also announced a $6 million donation intended to go to the new facility, but also that the new open date would not be until 2027 (previously reported 2026). The stadium will be east-west facing to “maximize shade” inside the venue.
The gift was donated by USF Federal Credit Union, bumping total funding up to $43 million, just shy of their $50 million goal. The credit union secured naming rights to the pregame walk space outside the stadium. The design company involved with this projects also designed other FBS venues like Minnesota, Baylor, Colorado State, and UAB.
No capacity or name has yet been revealed by USF. However, “more detailed renderings” are expected in Spring 2024, which could include those details. The ground breaking ceremony is also planned for Fall 2024.
New Ryan Field (Northwestern): 2026
Northwestern’s Ryan Field, constructed in 1926, was torn down just a few years shy of its 100-year anniversary. A new, $850M stadium takes its place with a “slightly different footprint” and was privately funded by the family of the namesake of the first Ryan Field. The new stadium is set to host concerts and other events.
The Wildcats played home games at a temporary, converted lakeside practice facility–as well as Wrigley Field for larger Big Ten tilts–during the construction of the new stadium.
New Ryan Field, with a lower capacity of 35,000, opens this fall in time for the 2026 college football season.
New Aloha Stadium (Hawaii): 2029
Developments to Hawaii’s new football stadium and entertainment complex released Dec. 6, 2023. Originally, the facility was projected to open by the 2026 season; that deadline has been pushed back to 2029. The entire entertainment district plan isn’t expected to open until 2043 at the earliest.
Chris Kinimaka, a public works administrator handling the development contract, said in December 2023 that they are “looking to have the stadium available for the start of the UH 2028 football season.”
Originally estimated to be a 30-35,000 seat venue, Kinimaka now says the venue will hold 22,500 seats.
In March 2024, House Bill 2664 was introduced. The plan killed the existing stadium build and instead would make the existing Ching Complex Hawaii’s new permanent home. The $400M in funds would be re-allocated to disaster relief efforts following wildfires in the state. University of Hawaii staff and athletic administrators vehemently opposed HB 2664.
Just weeks later, the bill died in the state senate.
Aloha Stadium sat vacant after closing in 2020. Its demolition began in May, 2026 — over a year after multiple estimates suggested.
New Rice Stadium (Proposed)
In June 2024, Rice reportedly began seeking options for a new football stadium. Current Rice Stadium opened in 1950, replacing old Rice Field (opened 1913). It was built by the city of Houston with a maximum capacity of 57,000 to host Super Bowls and other major events. Rice Stadium hosted Super Bowl VIII (1974) as well as President John F. Kennedy’s famous “We choose to go to the moon” speech (1962).
However, the venue has fallen to disrepair. The upper deck isn’t in condition to seat spectators anymore, forcing Rice to play high-profile games at NRG Stadium. The biggest issue, of course, is the enormous seating capacity not fit for the Owls football program. Oftentimes, the stadium is barren during football games.
“We’re looking at whatever it takes. Our approach is we have to do something drastic…Just putting new paint on what we have is not what we’re looking at,” Rice athletic director Tommy McClelland said in the inked report. He also used the word “transformational” when discussing renovations and alternatives.
“In this day and age, we can’t build something that is there for 300 days a year and doesn’t do anything,” McClelland said in the report. “We have to build a community asset.”
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