Northwestern’s Ryan Field Nears October Opening

Northwestern University's new Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill., officially opens on Oct. 2, 2026. Photos dated Sept. 14, 2026 show the stadium still under construction. On that date workers made adjustments to the colorful jumbotron. Pat Ryan, Edward Keegan and Bryan Schabel sat together at the 50-yard line in the 100-level seats. The Wildcat Wall student section is in the south end zone and features safe standing areas. The stadium includes 100-level seating, 200-level seating and a wide main concourse. Tall shrubs serve as a buffer between the stadium and nearby homes. Captions from the same day also record the view facing from the south end zone and the view from the 200-level seats at the nearly finished venue ahead of the October opening.