Plans are moving toward a first FSB college football game in London, as Arizona State and Kansas are in talks to play in United Kingdom next season, with Wembley Stadium targeted for Saturday, Sept 19, 2026. The prospective Big 12 matchup, as reported by Action Network’s Brett McMurphy and posted on X by On3, would mark the first Football Bowl Subdivision game staged in the United Kingdom’s capital.
Two Power Five programs, led by Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham and Kansas head coach Lance Leipold, would take a league game out of the Midwest and drop it into one of the world’s most recognizable venues.
Many NFL games have been held in Wembley for years, and this would not be the first time college football hits English soil, but it would be the first time an FBS program does so in London. The last college game in England came in 1988 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, where Richmond defeated Boston University 20–17.
Fans’ Reaction: UK Interest, Travel Fatigue, And Mid-Semester Disruption Concerns
Reaction arrived quickly as the news broke. Some saw a smart opportunity to widen the sport’s footprint. Others questioned the timing, the travel, and the trade-off of a home on Saturday.
From Lane Haley, who said the United Kingdom views American football as a novelty: “Why?! As someone who lived in the UK, I assure you they see football as nothing more than a novelty. They don’t understand the rules and most see the sport as barbaric. This is a country that thinks soccer is the ultimate in sport with rugby as a placation for factory workers and tradesmen. Under no circumstances is playing games in the British isles going to expand recruiting or create new viewers for the teams involved. The whole thing is stupid and a waste of resources.”
Immaculate, referenced recent Week Zero games in Ireland and the perceived curse on the loser: “So they think by scheduling it a little later in the season that they will mitigate the circumstances that have created the Irish Curse for the loser of the Ireland game? Risky.”
Ulysses, wrote: “KU’s stadium is going to be a mess of construction next year, so it’s a good time to hit the road. I don’t love a UK game mid-season, though. That’s gotta be pretty disruptive to practice and school.”
Discussion is currently ongoing, with a targeted date, and Wembley is the listed venue. Those are the current facts as reported by McMurphy. For fans in Tempe and Lawrence. A regular-season conference game could be played in London, and the opponent on the other sideline would be familiar.
