After over two years of construction, the brand new Ryan Field is set to open this fall when the Northwestern Wildcats host the Penn State Nittany Lions on October 2nd. The matchup will mark exactly 100 years since the original field – then known as Northwestern Stadium – hosted its first football game in 1926.
Although October 2nd will be the first game in the new stadium, it won’t be the first home game of the year for Northwestern. The Wildcats will play South Dakota State on September 5 and Colorado on September 19, both at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, where the team has played the last two years while Ryan Field was being constructed.
How to get tickets to the game
While onsale dates for single-game tickets have not yet been announced, fans can keep an eye on the official Northwestern Athletics ticket page for any updates (and we will publish updates as well when details are released). Even though the page says single-game tickets are currently on sale, when you click through, it says they actually aren’t. In addition, we don’t see any tickets available on resale sites, so it seems that tickets have not yet been allocated to season ticket holders.
But whether you’ll actually be able to get tickets at all is a good question. Northwestern football has historically been a limited draw: over the last 12 years of games at Ryan Field, attendance averaged approximately 34,000 per game, leaving huge chunks of the 47,000-seat stadium empty. But the new stadium has been right-sized to match that traditional demand, with a capacity of just 35,000.
Which means that a stadium that used to be 30% empty will now very likely be 100% full each week. Whether that will allow for single-game tickets to be sold may depend on how many season tickets were sold by the team. But even if single-game tickets are available, there will be far less supply than there used to be, which will likely drive prices up, especially for marquee matches.
In the meantime, fans can also sign up for updates on resale ticket availability on the SeatGeek Official Ticket Marketplace of the Northwestern Wildcats.
What else is happening in Chicago that weekend
This would be the perfect opportunity for sports fans looking to make a weekend trip to the city. Doja Cat and Mt. Joy will be performing on Saturday, October 3rd, and the Chicago Bears will host the New York Jets at Soldier Field on Sunday, October 4th. For those more interested in soccer than the NFL, the NWSL’s Denver Summit will visit the Chicago Stars in Evanston on Sunday as well. These events and more can be found on our Ultimate Sports Calendar.
What visiting fans should know
Flights into both Midway International and O’Hare International Airport are frequent and great options for getting to Chicago. However, O’Hare International is the closest major airport to Evanston.
As for lodging, the two main options for fans would be hotels based in Evanston or downtown Chicago. Downtown offers a large variety of high-end to budget-friendly options and is packed with entertainment, nightlife, and endless dining options – perfect for those looking for the full city experience. However, it can require a 60+ minute commute to Ryan Field via public transport or car, depending on gameday congestion.
On the other hand, Evanston hotels are located significantly closer. Most options will take about a 30-minute walk or a 10 to 20-minute commute by car or public transportation to the new stadium. These same options are generally a 20-minute walk from Northwestern’s lakeside campus. While this offers a much quicker journey, these hotels often sell out quickly and have far fewer rooms overall than downtown hotels. Booking for this area as early as possible is essential.
For fans planning on using public transportation, the most helpful transit option will be the Chicago “L” Purple Line. It runs directly from downtown Chicago to Evanston with stops near Northwestern University.
The bottom line
Fans hoping to attend the opening game should start making plans now. While tickets are not yet available to the general public, keeping an eye on official ticket updates and booking refundable travel arrangements will likely help avoid higher prices and limited availability. We will continue to provide updates as they are released.
