The Fighting Irish have announced a new date for their postponed Shamrock Series clash with Wisconsin from 2020, which is set to be played at the NFL’s second largest venue
Notre Dame will head to the iconic Lambeau Field in 2026
Notre Dame will play its first-ever college football game at Lambeau Field next year when it takes on Wisconsin in the 2026 Shamrock Series.
The Fighting Irish and the Badgers have finally pencilled in a date for the long-awaited final part of their two-game series, which had initially been scheduled for October 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The two sides did manage to play the first installment at Soldier Field in 2021, resulting in a 41-13 Notre Dame victory, but have gone almost five years without rescheduling the original tie.
It comes on the same week that the College Football Playoff format has been adjusted for the 2025 campaign, providing Marcus Freeman’s side with a huge boost in reaching consecutive National Championship games. Meanwhile, Notre Dame is at risk of waving goodbye to its annual football series with the USC Trojans as the two programs stall on a new long-term deal.
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One thing that is for certain, however, is that Notre Dame and Wisconsin will finally play the final part of their two-game Shamrock Series on Sunday, September 6, 2026, when they meet at Lambeau Field, the home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, a statement confirmed.
Fittingly, the Fighting Irish are the designated home team for their first-ever appearance at the 81,441-capacity venue – the second largest in the NFL. It will also mark only the third time that Lambeau Field has hosted a college football game, following St. Norbert vs. Fordham in 1983 and Wisconsin vs. LSU in 2016.
Last season, Notre Dame took on Army in its annual off-site home football game, dismantling the No. 19-ranked side 49-14 at Yankee Stadium in New York ahead of its final regular season game, before then embarking on a fairytale run through the 2024 CFP.
Green Bay’s Lambeau Field holds more than 81,000 spectators, the second largest in the NFL
The Shamrock Series began in 2009 when Notre Dame started to take a home game on the road. The Irish defeated Washington State 40-14 in that first game, held in San Antonio at the Alamodome, and have since gone on to win every single game, currently boasting a record of 11-0.
Next year’s clash with Wisconsin means that Notre Dame will now open consecutive seasons with Sunday games, having already been put down to face Miami on August 31 to kick off the upcoming 2025 campaign.
Notre Dame’s regular season schedule, which was released in February, also includes games against Texas A&M, Purdue, Arkansas, Boise State, NC State, Boston College, Navy, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Stanford.
The Fighting Irish will also welcome long-standing rivals USC to South Bend on October 18, which is currently the final game in the existing contract between the two universities. The blueblood programs have met 95 times since 1924, forming one of college football’s most exciting matchups of the season.
Notre Dame defeated Wisconsin in the first part of their two game series back in 2021
However, due to uncertainty about the future CFP format, USC has been reluctant to commit to anything long-term. The Trojans have offered a one-year extension to play in Los Angeles in 2026, according to Sports Illustrated, but Notre Dame desires another long-term deal.
In more positive news, the Fighting Irish recently agreed to a 12-year, home-and-home deal with the Clemson Tigers that is scheduled to begin in 2027 – something university officials insist has no impact on their efforts to maintain their rivalry with USC.
Despite operating as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level, Notre Dame has an agreement with the league to play five ACC football games per season. The annual Clemson matchup will count toward that total in games that were already part of that rotation, which is five of the 12 years.