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NC State vs. The Virginia football game, set to take place in Brazil as the first college football game to be played in South America, is being moved to the Cavaliers’ home field after organizers determined the game could not be played in Rio de Janeiro.
Wednesday’s announcement came less than three months before the Wolfpack and Cavaliers were set to open the season in Rio.
The Atlantic Coast Conference said in a press release that the change comes after “extensive review with operational partners and international stakeholders,” with event organizer Athlete Advantage recently informing the league and schools that the event could not go ahead as planned in Brazil.
Running back Jayden Scott carries the ball up the middle during the NC State Wolfpack and Virginia game on September 6, 2025 at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Katherine Gawlik/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The game was scheduled for Aug. 29 in Week 0 of the college football calendar. The league and schools are working with television partner ESPN and the NCAA to hold the game on the scheduled date.
The teams had originally agreed to a home-and-home non-conference series that would not count toward the ACC standings since games were added outside of the league scheduling model. Longtime league members from neighboring states don’t meet as often because of years of expansion amid waves of national conference realignments.
NC State won last year’s first matchup in the home-and-home schedule. The Rio game was to replace Virginia’s home game in Charlottesville, though as part of the league as the ACC moves to a nine-game schedule. Now it is held at Scott Stadium in the more traditional setting.
Fans who purchased tickets or travel packages for the event through the official College Football Brasil website will receive refunds.
Report from the Associated Press.
