Gillette Stadium will host the Navy-Notre Dame game in 2026
FOXBORO -- The home of the New England Patriots will host two of the nation's oldest football programs, as Notre Dame and Navy will do battle at Gillette Stadium in 2026. It will be the first-ever visit to Gillette Stadium for the Fighting Irish.
The 99th Navy-Notre Dame game will be held at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 31, 2026, it was announced Tuesday. It will mark the first time that the historic rivalry will be played in New England.
"We are thrilled to host the 2026 Navy-Notre Dame Game and welcome these two historic programs and their passionate fanbases to Gillette Stadium for the first time in this storied, century-long rivalry," said Patriots and Revolution owner Robert Kraft. "We are honored that Navy has chosen Gillette Stadium and our region as the host for the 99th playing of this game steeped in tradition. New England has a deep appreciation for competition at the highest level and the sacrifices and cohesive teamwork that reaching such heights requires. The Midshipmen and Fighting Irish epitomize this, and we look forward to welcoming one of the gridiron's greatest rivalries to Gillette Stadium in 2026."
Gillette Stadium hosted the annual Army-Navy game in 2023, which saw 65,878 fans pack the stadium for the 17-11 victory by Army.
Navy vs. Notre Dame history
The Navy-Notre Dame game dates back to 1927. The two teams played for 93 straight years from 1927-2019, before COVID-19 canceled the 2020 game.
The rivalry has been pretty one-sided, with Notre Dame sporting an 81-13-1 record over Navy. The Fighting Irish haven't lost to Navy since 2017, winning seven straight matchups.
Navy and Notre Dame played at MetLife Stadium in New York in 2024, with the Fighting Irish coming out victorious, 51-14, on Oct. 26. The two schools also played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore (home of the Ravens) in 2022, and brought the rivalry to Dublin, Ireland with a game at Aviva Stadium in 2023.
The 2026 Navy-Notre Dame game will be the first time that the Fighting Irish play at Gillette Stadium. It will be the second appearance for the Midshipmen after last year's Army-Navy game.
Additional details about the 2026 Navy-Notre Dame Game at Gillette Stadium -- including ticketing information -- will be made available at a later date.
