Kansas Football is treading into uncharted waters with the latest official announcement coming down on October 1st.
The Jayhawks will host Arizona State in the first-ever Union Jack Classic at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium on Saturday, September 19, 2026. This will be considered a home game for Kansas, despite being played at the neutral-site stadium. What are the pros and cons of this Big 12 clash being played overseas?
Pro: Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity
For many players, coaches, staff, and fans, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not only will this be the first time Kansas football will play overseas, but it is the first college game ever in historic Wembley Stadium in London. It is a monumental occasion, and anyone able to attend will have a core memory for the rest of their lives.
Con: Losing A Game in Lawrence
Whenever you move a home game away from campus, it is not going to hit well with the local community. While it is understandable to take this game overseas due to the stadium not being full-capacity in 2026 while construction on the re-imagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium continues, it will still hurt local businesses on the Saturday when this game was supposed to take place in Lawrence.
Pro: Visibility
Kansas is largely known around the country as a basketball school. The Jayhawks basketball program regularly plays in tournaments around the United States, including Hawaii, and has also found itself in tournaments in the Bahamas, Germany, and other countries around the world. Now the Kansas football program will get a chance to shine on the world stage. KU’s football brand is still trying to make a name for itself, and this is a big opportunity for the Jayhawks.
Con: Travel Hangover
We can look across the state and see how Kansas State’s 2025 team looked after their trip to Ireland as a measuring stick about what the Jayhawks should be wary of coming back from an overseas trip. K-State hosted Iowa State in that game, lost, and came back to look like they had a major hangover. In the game immediately following, the Wildcats were four-touchdown favorites against North Dakota but needed a game-winning drive in the final minute to win that game 38-25. The week after that, the Wildcats lost 24-21 to Army, a team that is currently 1-3 on the season and may not win another game in 2025. Both of those games were at home before they went on the road to lose at Arizona 23-17. It took a bye week and a full month until Kansas
State looked how many expected them to this season. The Jayhawks will need to make plans on how to limit the effects of international travel as they get back into conference play after their trip to London.
Pro: Money Injected into Kansas Athletics Department
While local businesses may suffer for a week, the Kansas Athletic Department will reap the reward of moving a home game to London. Kansas State received $2.5 million as a base compensation for moving its home opener to Ireland in Week 0 of the 2025 season. Kansas, at minimum, should expect that, and maybe more, since this will be the first college football game ever played at Wembley Stadium. The Wildcats also had travel and lodging expenses covered and got a cut of official game merchandise sales at the venue and online. It makes sense that Kansas takes this game while they are finishing renovations at The Booth. Any extra money in their pockets helps the program move forward.
Con: Every Day Fan Left Out
While a significant number of Kansas fans will be able to make the trip to London, many of the everyday working-class fans won’t be able to make the trip. It will be a very special occasion for those who can attend, but a subset of the fan base will not be happy about taking one of their game-day experiences away from Lawrence. I’m not saying this will be an elitist event, but it could be perceived to be that way by some.
Kansas football is undoubtedly on the rise, and being able to host the first-ever college football game in iconic Wembley Stadium is not going to stop the momentum of the program. With more eyes on Kansas, as well as Arizona State, this is a great move for the Big 12. Both schools should be able to capitalize on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and make a great event out of the game, which is set to take place just over a year from now.
