Upcoming Kansas Jayhawks Football dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Kansas football in brief: an old program in a rebuilt home
The Kansas Jayhawks play home football games at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, a stadium that first opened in 1921 and is in the middle of a near-total rebuild. The new west grandstand opened for the 2025 season; with east-side work still pending, capacity was reported at about 32,000 for 2026, far below the 47,233 it held before construction. Home games run from late August or early September through late November in the Big 12.
Kansas first played in 1890, making it one of the oldest programs in the country, and it was a charter member of the conference that became the Big Eight and later the Big 12. The program's high point came in the 2007 season, when the Jayhawks started 11–0, rose to No. 2 in the polls for the first time and beat Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Its alumni include Pro Football Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and John Riggins.
Long stretches of losing followed that peak, and from 2010 through 2021 Kansas rarely won more than a few games a season. The turnaround since 2022 has been one of the sport's better stories: bowl trips in 2022 and 2023, the first home win over a top-10 team since 1984 (No. 6 Oklahoma in 2023) and the program's first top-10 road win, at No. 6 BYU in 2024.
Where to sit at David Booth Memorial Stadium
The stadium is a horseshoe: grandstands on the east and west sidelines joined by a curved bowl behind the north end zone, with the field running north to south. The track that once circled the field was removed in 2014, which brought the stands closer to the action. The rebuild is changing the building one side at a time.
West side vs. east side
The west side is new as of 2025, with founders suites, loge boxes and club seats as well as general seating. For most fans, a west-side seat between the 30-yard lines is the best combination of view and comfort. The east side is the next phase of the project, which KU placed on hold for lack of funding; plans call for new east stands built 80 to 100 feet closer to the field, along with a hotel, restaurants and retail. Ask the seller which side a seat is on, and expect the experience to differ.
End zone and sun
The north bowl holds the KU Ring of Honor and the main scoreboard, and before 2005 teams driving north could not see the clock without turning around. End-zone seats cost less but give a flat view of the far end of the field. With a north–south field, the afternoon sun moves into the western sky, so the east sideline faces it late in a day game while the west sideline has it behind. September games in Lawrence can be hot; check the kickoff time before choosing a side.
Sunflower Showdown and the games that sell out
- Kansas State: the Sunflower Showdown dates to 1902 and has been played every year since 1911, one of the longest continuous series in college football. The winner receives the Governor's Cup. Kansas leads the all-time series, though Kansas State has dominated the games since the late 1980s.
- Missouri: the Border War, first played in 1891, was the oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi until Missouri left for the SEC in 2012. It has been revived only for occasional non-conference meetings.
- Nebraska: an annual game from 1906 to 2010, dormant since Nebraska joined the Big Ten.
With capacity cut to about 32,000, it takes far fewer fans to sell out the stadium than it once did, and the program's recent success has raised demand at the same time. The Kansas State game, visits from ranked Big 12 teams and homecoming are the toughest tickets. KU hosted ESPN's College GameDay for the first time in October 2022, when the stadium sold out back-to-back home games for the first time since 2009.
Waving the wheat and Lawrence gameday
- Waving the wheat: KU students sway their arms like wheat in the wind, a tradition now built into the field; the turf installed in 2025 has a custom wheat-field design in the end zones.
- Rock Chalk, Jayhawk: the university's chant has deep roots in football; in 1911 more than 1,000 people gathered in downtown Lawrence to follow a telegraphed Missouri game on a model field and cheered it as if they were there.
- A memorial stadium: the stadium is dedicated to KU students who died in World War I and sits among the campus's war memorials.
The stadium sits on the KU campus in Lawrence. The east side has historically held the stadium's two largest parking lots, and the construction plans affect parking there, so check KU Parking for current lots before you go. KU Athletics promotes a tailgate program called Tailgates on The Hill.
How Kansas football tickets work
Kansas sells season tickets first, with donors to the athletics fund getting priority for the best locations, and students buy through a separate student program. Single-game tickets go on sale to the public after renewals, and tickets are mobile. KU also runs an interest list for fans who want first notice of future season tickets.
The smaller capacity changes the market. Fewer seats are available to the public, and for the Kansas State game, ranked conference visitors and late-season games with bowl or title implications, the primary allotment can disappear quickly, making resale the main way in. Early non-conference games remain the easiest tickets. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Where KU played during construction
Kansas did not play in Lawrence in 2024 while the west side was demolished and rebuilt. The Jayhawks played two non-conference games at Children's Mercy Park (the former Sporting Park) in Kansas City, Kansas, and four Big 12 games at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs. Football returned to Lawrence in 2025.
Like other Big 12 stadiums, the Booth enforces a clear-bag policy. As of the 2026 season, KU Athletics posts the current bag rules and prohibited items on its clear bag policy page; check it before you go, because construction can also change gates and entry points.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Kansas Jayhawks play football?
Kansas plays at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, which opened in 1921 and is being rebuilt in phases. The new west side opened in 2025.
What is the capacity of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium?
It held 47,233 before the rebuild. Capacity was reported at about 32,000 for the 2026 season during construction, with a planned capacity of about 43,000 once the project is finished.
Why did Kansas play at Arrowhead Stadium?
The stadium was closed for the 2024 season while the west grandstand was rebuilt, so KU played four Big 12 games at Arrowhead Stadium and two games at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
What is the Sunflower Showdown?
It is the annual Kansas–Kansas State rivalry, first played in 1902 and played every year since 1911. The winner receives the Governor's Cup.
Has Kansas ever won the Orange Bowl?
Yes. Kansas beat Virginia Tech 24–21 in the Orange Bowl in January 2008, capping a 12–1 season. It was the program's only BCS bowl appearance.