Northwestern breaks ground on a new football stadium

Updated Jun. 24, 2024 2:58 p.m. ET

Associated Press

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Northwestern held a formal groundbreaking on Monday for a new Ryan Field on the site of the demolished football stadium.

The new Ryan Field is part of a $480 million donation from the family of Patrick and Shirley Ryan that was the largest in school history. Some of that money is funding academic ventures.

The school has said the stadium would seat 35,000, down more than 12,000 from the old Ryan Field, which opened in 1926. It will feature a canopy designed to keep noise and light focused on the field and include cutting-edge technology and scoreboards, as well as concessions with food from local restaurants. It will also achieve Gold LEED certification.

Northwestern is scheduled to play most of its home games next season at its lakefront soccer and lacrosse facility. A temporary structure with a capacity considerably lower than at the old Ryan Field and the new stadium is being built.

The Wildcats are scheduled to host Miami (Ohio) on Aug. 31 at the lakefront facility as well as Duke (Sept. 6), Eastern Illinois (Sept. 14), Indiana (Oct. 5) and Wisconsin (Oct. 19). They also have home games at Wrigley Field against Ohio State on Nov. 16 and Illinois on Nov. 30.

The new Ryan Field is scheduled to open in 2026.

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