Big 12 showdown at Wembley will mark Kansas’ first international game
The roar of college football is crossing the Atlantic. For the first time in program history, Kansas will play overseas, and it won’t just be any matchup. According to On3, the matchup will take place on Sept. 19, 2026, as the Jayhawks and Arizona State Sun Devils are slated to meet at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium in a Big 12 conference opener.
This won’t be a simple nonconference spectacle. It’s a league game with stakes. Kansas officials agreed to shift the contest from Lawrence, citing reduced seating at Booth Memorial Stadium during ongoing construction. Even with the change, KU will still host six games at home that season.
London is no stranger to American football, with the NFL staging multiple games there annually. But for college fans, this is nearly uncharted territory. Only once before has an FBS matchup been played in the city, making this game a landmark moment.
The Big 12 has made no secret of its global ambitions. Commissioner Brett Yormark said this summer, “Playing in Ireland is the first step… I’m all in on it.” Iowa State’s win over Kansas State in Dublin earlier this year was proof the appetite is there. Now, Kansas and Arizona State will carry the flag to England.
For the Sun Devils, it’s a return trip of sorts. In 1990, they played Houston in Tokyo, marking their only prior international appearance. Kansas, meanwhile, is about to break new ground, and on one of the world’s most famous stages.
When toe meets leather at Wembley, it won’t just be about football. It will be about history.
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