The Yale Bulldogs have announced their 2026 football schedule, which features five home games and 10 contests overall.
The Bulldogs open the season on September 19 with a road matchup at Holy Cross. Ivy League play begins the following week when Yale travels to Cornell on September 26.
Yale makes its home debut at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Conn., on October 3 against Merrimack, which was previously unannounced, before returning to conference action on October 10, hosting Dartmouth. Yale steps out of league play again on October 17 to host Rhode Island, its final non‑conference opponent of the season.
The Bulldogs then begin a two‑game Ivy League road stretch, traveling to Penn on October 24 and Columbia on October 31. Yale returns to New Haven on November 7 to host Brown before welcoming Princeton on November 14 in its final home game of the regular season.
The 2026 campaign concludes on November 21 with the latest edition of The Game, as Yale meets Harvard at Fenway Park. The neutral‑site rivalry matchup brings two of college football’s oldest programs to one of America’s most iconic venues.
Below is Yale’s complete schedule for the 2026 season, plus a link to their schedule page which will be updated with kickoff times and TV as they are announced:
09/19 – at Holy Cross
09/26 – at Cornell*
10/03 – Merrimack
10/10 – Dartmouth*
10/17 – Rhode Island
10/24 – at Penn*
10/31 – at Columbia*
11/07 – Brown*
11/14 – Princeton*
11/21 – at Harvard* (at Fenway Park)
* Ivy League contest.
Yale advanced to the FCS Playoffs last season, defeating Youngstown State in the first round, 43-42, before falling to Montana State, 21-13. The Bulldogs are entering their first season under head coach Kevin Cahill, who led Lehigh to a 23-14 record in three seasons.
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My wife and I journeyed to the Yale Bowl in Oct., 2024 to see a wild, high-scoring 44-43 Yale OT loss to Dartmouth. The Bowl was (and is) ancient..........archaic (lavatory buildings outside the actual bowl; limited but tasty concessions; the historic scoreboard but no video boards at all; weak PA system).....and absolutely AWESOME!!! A true throwback to the historic days of college football!
I truly do NOT know how they shoehorn 50,000+ people into the place when Harvard comes to town.........must be a madhouse! However, I HIGHLY recommend that you choose a good-weather Saturday in October (as we did)........buy a ticket on the sunny visitors' side.....park in the field across the street......check out the Walter Camp Gate.......and join the other 5,000-or-so attendees for just a fabulous afternoon at Yale Bowl!
Dean,
I've done it. It was great Saw Mercer a few years ago. They had 2800 there. We bought General Admission tickets and sat in the season ticket holders section. We got booted!
57,000 empty seats and we had to move.
Still worth it. Excellent experience
I'll also recommend Fitton Field at Holy Cross. The archiac 23,000 seat stadium but good tailgating and lots of proud alumni on the stands
Lastly, Marist is fun too. You tailgate right across from the 5000 seat Tenney Stadium.
I prefer these small FCS and even Division 2 and 3 over the overpriced Division 1 stuff.
It's a great way to spend a fall Saturday usually afternoon