CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Ahead of the 2026 ACC Football schedule release, the Atlantic Coast Conference has announced the 2026 ACC Football Championship Game will kick off at noon ET on Saturday, December 5, on ABC. This positions the ACC Football Championship Game as the first game to kick off Championship Saturday.
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“We are excited this year’s ACC Football Championship Game will be a noon kickoff on ABC as it places our game in an exceptional television window and allows for our attending fans the opportunity to experience an afternoon game in Bank of America Stadium,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “Being the first conference championship to kick off on Championship Saturday allows us to lead the day on a national stage, showcase our student-athletes and programs and deliver a marquee event to fans across the country.”
The appearance on ABC continues a long-standing broadcast partnership, as 2026 marks the 14th consecutive year, and the 18th time overall, that the ACC Football Championship Game will air on the network. The title game has been televised on either ABC or ESPN every year since its inaugural season in 2005.
The shift to a noon kickoff moves the championship game from its traditional Saturday night window for the first time since 2020, when the game kicked off at 4 p.m. ET. The title game also kicked off at 1 p.m. ET in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
The 22nd annual ACC Football Championship Game will once again be hosted at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. Charlotte has hosted 15 of the last 16 championship games, and a 10-year agreement announced in 2018 ensures the event will remain in the city through the 2030 season.
The ACC Football Championship Game has played a significant role in the national postseason landscape, with the conference champion advancing to the National Championship Game or competing in the College Football Playoff in nine of the last 13 seasons.
The full 2026 ACC Football schedule will be unveiled during a two-hour
ACC Huddle: Football Schedule Release special, airing tonight, Monday, January 26, on ACC Network from 6-8 p.m. ET, with the first hour simulcast on ESPN2.
About The ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference, in its 73rd year and 18 members strong, stands as one of the most competitive and revered intercollegiate conferences in the nation. ACC members including Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest are dedicated to upholding the league's founding values of academic excellence, athletic competition at the highest level, and integrity. The ACC supports 28 NCAA sports, with 15 for women and 13 for men, and its member institutions span 12 states. In August 2019, the ACC and ESPN partnered to launch ACC Network (ACCN), a 24/7 national network exclusively devoted to ACC sports and original programming. For more information, visit theACC.com and follow the ACC on Instagram (@accsports), Twitter (@theACC) and Facebook (facebook.com/theACC).