Upcoming Washington Huskies 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.
Washington football in brief: Rose Bowls, Don James and a Big Ten move
The Washington Huskies play home football games at Husky Stadium, an on-campus stadium on the southeast edge of the University of Washington in Seattle, between Montlake Boulevard and Union Bay on Lake Washington. Home games fall on Saturdays from early September through November. Washington joined the Big Ten in 2024 after more than a century in the Pac-12 and its predecessors, where it was a charter member.
Organized football began at Washington in 1892, after an informal game in 1889. The program's highlights:
- Two claimed national titles. The 1960 team beat AP and UPI champion Minnesota in the Rose Bowl and was named national champion by the Helms Athletic Foundation. The 1991 team went 12–0, beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl and won the Coaches' Poll title, shared with AP champion Miami.
- The Don James era (1975–1992). James won four Rose Bowls and an Orange Bowl and coached the 1991 team. A bronze statue of him stands in the stadium's northwest plaza.
- Gil Dobie's streak. Washington holds the FBS record for the longest unbeaten streak, 64 games, nearly all of it under Dobie from 1908 to 1916.
- A Pac-12 finale. The 2023 team won the last Pac-12 Championship Game over Oregon, beat Texas in the Sugar Bowl and lost to Michigan in the national championship game, finishing 14–1.
Washington has won 18 conference titles and seven Rose Bowls, and its long line of NFL quarterbacks earned it a "Quarterback U" reputation. Rosters and coaching staffs change, so check the team site for the current lineup.
Where to sit at Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium opened in 1920 and was rebuilt in a renovation completed in 2013 that lowered the field, removed the running track and brought seats closer to the sidelines. The stadium is a horseshoe: two tall grandstands run along the north and south sidelines, the west end zone is enclosed, and the open east end looks out over Lake Washington toward the Cascades and, on a clear day, Mount Rainier.
Sideline grandstands and the roofs
Nearly 70 percent of the seats sit between the end zones, under cantilevered metal roofs that cover part of each grandstand. Those roofs do two things for you:
- They keep the upper rows dry. In a Seattle November, a covered row on either sideline is worth more than a slightly closer uncovered one. Check the seat view before you buy; the front rows of each grandstand are open to the sky.
- They make the place loud. The roofs trap crowd noise, which is why Husky Stadium is known as one of the loudest venues in college football.
Student section and end zones
The student section, the Dawg Pack, moved from the north sideline to the west end zone in the 2013 renovation. Seats next to it are the loudest in the building. The east end has a permanent structure with field-level suites, and the seats there trade some sideline perspective for the lake view behind the play.
Sun and shade
The stadium was built facing east, angled about 18 degrees south of due east, to keep the early-afternoon sun out of players' eyes. For fans, the north grandstand faces south toward the sun on clear afternoons, while the south grandstand has the sun behind it. On a warm September day the south side and the covered rows are the cooler seats; by late October, sun is rarely the problem.
Oregon, the Apple Cup and the biggest Husky home games
Washington's two long-running rivals now sit in different places on the schedule.
- Oregon. The teams first met in 1900, and the rivalry moved with both schools into the Big Ten. Oregon has replaced Washington State as the regular-season finale. In 2026 that game is in Eugene, so it is a road trip rather than a home ticket.
- Washington State, the Apple Cup. With the Cougars outside the Big Ten, the in-state game moved to the first weeks of the season. In 2026 it opens the home schedule in Seattle on September 6.
Big Ten opponents with large followings, such as Penn State and Indiana on the 2026 home schedule, and any visit from Michigan or Ohio State in other years, draw the strongest resale demand. Night kickoffs, which suit the stadium's acoustics, add to it. Nonconference games against regional opponents are the easiest seats to buy.
Sailgating, the Wave and Montlake gameday
Few college stadiums sit on the water, and Husky gamedays make the most of it.
- Sailgating. Fans arrive by boat and tailgate on Lake Washington, with crowds on the water that can top 12,000. The Washington crew team has run shuttles between the boats and the docks before kickoff.
- The Wave. Many fans credit Husky Stadium with the first crowd wave, at a 1981 game against Stanford, though a wave at an Oakland baseball playoff game two weeks earlier is better documented.
- The noise. ESPN measured the crowd at about 133.6 decibels at a 1992 night game against Nebraska, cited as the loudest mark recorded at a college football stadium (sources range up to 135).
- Tailgating. The north and south parking lots fill with tailgaters, and the Husky Marching Band and fight song "Bow Down to Washington" anchor the pregame.
Getting there
The University of Washington Link light rail station sits next to the stadium, so the train is the simplest way in from downtown Seattle. Several bus routes also serve Montlake. Driving and parking near campus on gameday is slow; if you do drive, buy parking in advance.
How Washington football tickets work
Washington sells season tickets, with the best seat locations tied to Tyee Club donor priority; single-game tickets; and Dawg Pack student season tickets, which give full-time students first-come, first-served access to home games through mobile delivery. Premium seating, including suites and club areas, is sold separately.
For most nonconference dates you can buy single-game seats close to kickoff. For the Apple Cup and a major Big Ten visitor, covered sideline seats are the first to go, and resale from season ticket holders is the usual route to them. Tickets are mobile, which makes transfers simple. Every order on this site is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Husky Stadium bag policy and entry
Starting in 2026, UW Athletics allows one clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bag up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or a one-gallon clear resealable bag, plus a small clutch up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches. Purses, backpacks, diaper bags that are not clear, camera and binocular cases, fanny packs and zippered seat cushions are prohibited. Blankets can be carried over your arm, which helps on a cold night. Review the current UW Athletics bag policy before you go.
A naming note: from 2015 to 2026 the field carried the name Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Alaska did not renew the deal, so older tickets and maps may still show the longer name.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Washington Huskies play home football games?
Washington plays at Husky Stadium on the UW campus in Seattle, its home since 1920. The stadium was rebuilt in a renovation completed in 2013 and seats about 70,000.
What is the capacity of Husky Stadium?
Sources differ. Wikipedia lists figures from 70,138 to 72,132 for the renovated stadium, so about 70,000 is a safe working number.
Which seats at Husky Stadium are covered?
Part of each sideline grandstand sits under cantilevered metal roofs, so the upper rows on the north and south sides are the covered seats. The front rows and the end zones are open.
Can I take light rail to a Husky football game?
Yes. The University of Washington Link light rail station is next to the stadium and connects to downtown Seattle.
When is the Apple Cup played now?
Since Washington moved to the Big Ten, the Apple Cup against Washington State has been scheduled in the first weeks of the season. In 2026 it is at Husky Stadium on September 6.