Upcoming Las Vegas Bowl 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.
What the Las Vegas Bowl is
The Las Vegas Bowl is a college football bowl game played each December at Allegiant Stadium, the domed home of the Las Vegas Raiders, about a mile west of the Strip. The next game is scheduled for Thursday, December 31, 2026, at 12:45 p.m. Pacific on ESPN, with teams to be announced in early December. ESPN Events owns and operates the bowl, and SRS Distribution has held the naming rights since 2021, so the full name is the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl.
In recent seasons the game has drawn teams from major conferences. Wikipedia lists Big Ten teams in the 2023 and 2025 games, SEC teams in 2022 and 2024, and Pac-12 opponents in 2024 and 2025. ESPN Events had not published the 2026 pairing at the time of writing, so wait for the selection announcement before assuming a matchup.
Dates and why New Year's Eve changes the trip
The Las Vegas Bowl does not have a fixed date. Recent games were played on December 16, 2017, December 15, 2018, December 21, 2019, December 30, 2021, December 17, 2022, December 23, 2023, December 27, 2024 and December 31, 2025. The 2020 game was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2026 game lands on New Year's Eve again, which matters more in Las Vegas than almost anywhere else:
- Hotels: New Year's Eve is one of the busiest nights of the year on the Strip, so rooms and flights fill early. Book as soon as the matchup is set, or earlier if you are going regardless of the teams.
- Timing: a 12:45 p.m. kickoff ends in the late afternoon, which leaves time to get back to your hotel before evening crowds build.
- Traffic: expect heavier traffic and pedestrian crowds on Las Vegas Boulevard than on a typical game day, and plan extra time leaving the stadium.
Where to sit at Allegiant Stadium
Allegiant Stadium seats 65,000 under a fixed, translucent roof, so sun, rain and wind play no part in the choice. The levels are numbered in tiers: the 100 level is the lower bowl; field-level club seats carry a C prefix; the 200 level holds suites and loge seats; the 300 level is the upper bowl; and the 400 level holds the highest seats. The stadium guide on this site covers the layout in more detail.
- Lower sideline, rows 15 and up: high enough to see over players and staff standing on the sideline, still close to the action. The best general seats for football.
- 200-level loge: a raised, close angle on the field, priced above most of the lower bowl.
- 300 level between the 20-yard lines: the value choice, with a full view of formations and plays developing.
- 400 level: the lowest-demand seats. Stay near midfield, since the corners and end zones up here put the far end of the field a long way off.
Bowl crowds here have been well below capacity. Attendance at Allegiant has ranged from 20,897 in 2023 to 38,879 in 2025, so this game rarely tests the building the way a Raiders game does, and fans of each school tend to fill the lower bowl behind their team's bench. Front rows in the lower end zones look close on a map but flatten the field; a seat higher in the end zone reads plays better.
What drives demand for this game
The matchup decides nearly everything. The 2025 game, Utah against Nebraska, drew 38,879, the largest Las Vegas Bowl crowd since the move to Allegiant; two years earlier, Northwestern against Utah drew 20,897. Schools with large fan bases that travel well, and western schools within a short flight or drive, push demand up. Because Las Vegas is an easy trip for many fan bases, a game against a big-name opponent can turn into a holiday weekend for thousands of visitors, and the lower sideline sections closest to midfield are typically the first to tighten. Resale supply varies with the matchup, and when the teams draw fewer traveling fans, the market can stay loose into the final days before kickoff.
Getting there and stadium policies
The stadium sits at 3333 Al Davis Way, across Interstate 15 from Mandalay Bay. For most visitors staying on the Strip, walking is the simplest option.
- On foot: the pedestrian Hacienda Bridge links Las Vegas Boulevard near Mandalay Bay and Luxor with the stadium, a walk of under a mile.
- Rideshare: the designated zone has been at the front of Lot N, 5285 Dean Martin Drive.
- Parking: event parking has been sold in advance through the SpotHero app.
- Bags: as of the 2025 season, the stadium enforced a clear-bag policy (bags must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC, no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches), with a small clutch up to 4.5 by 6.5 by 2 inches also allowed.
- Payments: the stadium has been cashless for parking and concessions.
Rules can differ for a bowl game and change by season, so check the venue's current policy before you go on Allegiant Stadium's first-time guest page. GoodSeats orders include guaranteed entry.
History, from the Raisin Bowl to the Strip
The Las Vegas Bowl grew out of the California Raisin Bowl, played in Fresno from 1981 through 1991, and kept its predecessor's matchup of the Big West and Mid-American Conference champions through 1997. From 1992 through 2019 it was played at Sam Boyd Stadium, a 40,000-seat stadium in Whitney, Nevada. For two decades it was best known as a Mountain West showcase, with that conference tied in from 1999 through 2019. The move to Allegiant Stadium in 2021 brought a much larger building and matchups with Power Four conferences.
Notable moments include:
- 1995: Toledo 40, Nevada 37, the first overtime game in Division I-A college football.
- 2006: BYU against Oregon before 44,615, still the bowl's record crowd.
- 2024: USC 35, Texas A&M 31.
- 2025: Utah 44, Nebraska 22.
The naming sponsors have included EA Sports (1999), SEGA Sports (2001–2002), Pioneer (2004–2008), Maaco (2009–2012), Royal Purple (2013–2015), GEICO (2016), Mitsubishi Motors (2018–2019) and SRS Distribution (since 2021).
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Las Vegas Bowl?
The next Las Vegas Bowl is scheduled for Thursday, December 31, 2026, at 12:45 p.m. Pacific at Allegiant Stadium, broadcast on ESPN.
Which teams play in the Las Vegas Bowl?
Recent games have matched Big Ten or SEC teams against Pac-12 opponents. The 2026 pairing had not been published by ESPN Events at the time of writing, and teams are announced in early December.
Is the Las Vegas Bowl indoors?
Yes. Since 2021 the game has been played at Allegiant Stadium, which has a fixed translucent roof and climate control, so weather does not affect seat choice.
Can you walk to the Las Vegas Bowl from the Strip?
Yes. The Hacienda Bridge connects Las Vegas Boulevard near Mandalay Bay and Luxor to the stadium, a walk of under a mile.
Where was the Las Vegas Bowl played before Allegiant Stadium?
From 1992 through 2019 it was played at Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney, Nevada. The 2020 game was canceled, and the bowl moved to Allegiant Stadium in 2021.