Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images Football January 27, 2026 ACC Football Kicks Off 2026 Season with Four Week 0 Games Across Three Continents CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference will open the 2026 college football season on a global stage, as five ACC teams take part in Week 0 action, highlighted by two international contests spanning South America and Europe. The Week 0 slate underscores the ACC’s national and international footprint, featuring a historic conference matchup in Brazil, a marquee neutral-site game in Ireland and two home openers in the United States. NC State and Virginia will make history in the College Football Brasil, taking part in the first-ever college football game played in South America. The Wolfpack and Cavaliers will open the 2026 season with a conference matchup on Saturday, August 29, at Nilton Santos Stadium (Engenhão) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. North Carolina will face TCU in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday, August 29, at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The game marks the first international appearance for the Tar Heels. In Week 0 action stateside, Stanford will host Hawaii, while Florida State opens the season at home against New Mexico State, rounding out a four-game Week 0 lineup for the conference. The season will culminate with the 2026 ACC Football Championship Game on Saturday, December 5, at noon ET on ABC from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Fans are encouraged to sign up for the ACC Football mailing list to be among the first to receive information on ticket offers, on-sale dates and pricing. Click here for more information. The ACC, in conjunction with its television partners ESPN, ACC Network and The CW, will announce kickoff times for the first three weeks of the season in late May. One game in each of Weeks 8, 9, and 10 will be moved to Friday, with those additional scheduling details to be announced later. The full 2026 ACC Football schedule was announced on Monday, January 26, featuring a nationally prominent slate of conference and non-conference matchups throughout the season. 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).