Wembley’s Upper Tier Sits Empty as Kansas-Arizona State Football Kicks Off in London
The game is the first Football Bowl Subdivision matchup in the U.K., with organizers hoping to draw 60,000 fans and build an annual Wembley series.
- Kansas and Arizona State face off at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, September 19, 2026, for the inaugural Union Jack Classic, marking the first Football Bowl Subdivision game between two American college teams ever staged in the United Kingdom.
- Union Jack Classic CEO Brian Dubiski secured a three-year contract with Wembley for an annual game; organizers hope for 60,000 attendees, viewing anything over 40,000 as a viable business model.
- Both teams visited Big Ben and Tower Bridge near Richmond, the setting of the Apple TV series Ted Lasso, while Kansas associate head coach Andy Kotelnicki joked about being in the "foxhole" with quarterback Isaiah Marshall.
- ASU coach Kenny Dillingham noted "zero positive" from a football perspective, while Kansas coach Lance Leipold and lineman Jalen Klemm emphasized the once-in-a-lifetime cultural opportunity despite logistical challenges.
- An estimated 15,000 fans are traveling from America, with organizers already negotiating airline and hospitality partnerships; although no title sponsor is confirmed until next year, the event positions college football for expanded international reach.
33 Articles
33 Articles
The Toronto Star
Wembley’s upper tier sits empty as Kansas-Arizona State football kicks off in London
LONDON (AP) — Wembley Stadium's upper-tier seating remained empty for the college football game between Kansas and Arizona State on Saturday, a reflection of the difficulty in filling the U.K.'s largest venue.
Wembley's upper tier sits empty as Kansas-Arizona State football kicks off in London
Wembley Stadium's upper-tier seating was empty for the college football game between Kansas and Arizona State, a reflection of the difficulty in filling the U.K.'s largest venue.
ASU Faces Kansas in Big 12 Matchup on London’s Grandest Stage
By Adam Kunin LONDON – Freddie Mercury rocked Wembley Stadium. Madonna performed before 70,000-plus fans in the same setting. On Saturday, it’s the Arizona State football team’s turn to perform on London’s grandest stage. In a first-of-its-kind neutral site clash, ASU will square off with Kansas at Wembley Stadium at 9 a.m. MST. The international...
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