NC State football won’t be opening the season in Brazil after all.
NC State and Virginia were scheduled to open the 2026 season with an Atlantic Coast Conference game in Rio de Janeiro on August 29.
But NC State announced Wednesday that the game would be played in Charlottesville, where it was previously scheduled to be played as part of a nonconference home-and-home series between the schools. When the ACC moved to a nine-game schedule, the 2026 meeting converted to a conference matchup.
NC State said the change came after “extensive review with operational partners and international stakeholders.”
“The change follows communication with Athlete Advantage, which informed the ACC and participating schools that the event could not be conducted,” NC State said in a statement.
The league and teams are working with ESPN and the NCAA to keep the game on August 29.
The matchup, branded as “College Football Brasil,” was originally set for Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro and would have been the first FBS game ever played in South America.
Athlete Advantage was the game’s organizer. The group is “engaged in the business of planning, managing, marketing and executing athletic events,” according to NC State’s event participation agreement.
The contract calls for Athlete Advantage to pay NC State $1.5 million if “AA withdraws from or cancels the Event at any time and for any reason” outside of some specifics examples, including a participation review.
The contract called for Athlete Advantage to pay NC State $2 million as a participation fee and share revenue from fan travel packages and sponsorship commissions.
Fans who bought tickets or travel packages through the College Football Brasil website will receive refunds.
NC State beat Virginia in Raleigh in 2025, but that game did not count in the ACC standings — a quirk that helped the Cavaliers reach the ACC Championship Game.
NC State’s season opener vs. Virginia will be relocated to Charlottesville. https://t.co/wY1w5VcsLk pic.twitter.com/IintRnzwI9
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) June 3, 2026
