Northwestern will play a majority of its 2024 and 2025 home games at a temporary structure at the Martin athletics facility near Lake Michigan, the school announced on Wednesday. Northwestern is in the process of demolishing Ryan Field — the football team’s home for 98 years — to pave the way for a new $800 million stadium that will open in 2026.
“I am thrilled that we could make this happen. It’s truly a win for our community,” Northwestern president Michael Schill said in the release. “In addition to creating a wonderful fan experience in the lead-up to the opening of Ryan Field, hosting games on campus will reduce the travel burdens for our student-athletes and fans and will make games much more accessible. We also are pleased to keep the economic benefits of football gamedays in Evanston.”
Construction on the lakefront facility near the Evansville campus will start early this summer, and it will remain in operation through the conclusion of the 2025 football season. Northwestern is also in discussions with other Chicago-area venues to host a handful of football games over the next two seasons.
“We talk all the time about providing the ultimate student-athlete experience, and keeping our team on campus while providing a true home field advantage accomplishes that mission,” Northwestern coach David Braun said. “During a period of exciting transition, playing in a venue that brings the Northwestern community together provides a perfect bridge to the new Ryan Field, and I’m so excited about the gameday experience for our program and the entire Wildcat community.”
Northwestern finished the 2023 campaign with a 7-5 record, which included a 14-7 win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. Braun was named Northwestern’s interim coach less than two months before the start of the season after the school fired longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald in July 2023. Northwestern removed the interim tag, promoting Braun to full-time coach on Nov. 15.
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