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Northwestern may not be a perineal powerhouse in college football as the small private school outside of Chicago, but come 2026, the Wildcats will be playing their home games in the most modern and state-of-the-art stadium in the country.

The Wildcats are currently having to play their home games in a makeshift ‘stadium’ that only holds around 15,000 people that also plays host to the school’s lacrosse and soccer teams as they await the new Ryan Field to be completed. 

While sharing a facility with other teams on campus for two years will be a grind for the Wildcats, it appears it will be well worth the hassle based on the vision of the new $850 million stadium.

The stadium will feature 35,000 seats that offer “better-than-tv-sightlines” accompanied by a canopy overhang that will shield every seat from any inclement weather. The main concourses of the stadium are also all open, meaning fans waiting for a beer won’t have to miss any action from the field. Another 20,000 square feet worth of plaza and parks area will surround the stadium, which should make for quite the tailgating experience ahead of each home contest.

The project, which is mostly being funded by billionaire Patrick Ryan’s family, isn’t just being built with the consistently underwhelming football team. 

“Once completed, it will not only host Northwestern football but also serve as a premier destination for national events, youth sports championships, and additional opportunities, creating an unparalleled community hub, truly “Chicago’s Big Ten Stadium,” the announcement from Northwestern read.

Concerts, festivals, maybe some big-time college basketball games, and more will surely be hosted inside the new stadium after completion.

It’ll be quite the time to be alive come 2026 when Northwestern has the nicest facility in all of college athletics. That inevitable 11:00 AM local kickoff between Northwestern and Rutgers in two years time will hit a bit differently.