NC State and Virginia to Open ACC Play in Rio de Janeiro
NC State and Virginia will open Atlantic Coast Conference play with a matchup in Rio de Janeiro on August 29, 2026, the schools announced December 1, 2025. The game will count toward ACC standings and is expected to be televised by ESPN, creating an unusual travel and exposure opportunity for Wake County fans and the local economy.
The Atlantic Coast Conference announced that NC State and Virginia will meet in Rio de Janeiro on August 29, 2026 at Nilton Santos Stadium Engenhão for a game billed as College Football Brasil. The December 1 release named Virginia as the designated home team and said the matchup will count toward ACC standings. ESPN is expected to televise the game.
For Wake County the announcement matters on several fronts. NC State is based in Raleigh and the trip will give the Wolfpack national and international exposure early in the 2026 season. That exposure can translate into recruiting visibility, broadcast revenue share and merchandise sales that flow back to the athletics program. The event will also create planning and spending decisions for local fans who may travel to Brazil or attend watch parties here, affecting local travel agencies and hospitality businesses that serve fans before and after the regular season.
The release outlined logistical arrangements for the teams and for fan engagement, reflecting an ACC push to promote conference football internationally while offering a unique experience for student athletes and supporters. By designating the game as a conference contest the ACC preserves the result for standings and bowl qualification metrics, rather than treating the matchup as an exhibition. That decision has implications for scheduling strategy across the conference and for how programs weigh the costs and benefits of long distance games.
This event is part of a growing trend of American college football contests played abroad, an expansion that conference leaders view as both a marketing tool and a revenue opportunity. For local stakeholders the key economic impacts will come through travel spending by fans who journey to Rio, increased media exposure for NC State, and potential boosts in future ticket demand at home games. School officials framed the trip as an opportunity to broaden the ACC brand and to provide student athletes with an international experience.
As plans firm up in the coming months Wake County residents and NC State supporters should expect further announcements about ticketing, travel options and local viewing events. The matchup on August 29, 2026 will be a high profile start to ACC play and a moment for Wake County s university community to watch how international scheduling shapes the college football calendar.
