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    Liberty Bowl Tickets

    68th game · Sat., Jan. 2, 2027, 6:30 p.m. CT · night kickoff

    A night kickoff in Memphis takes sun out of the equation: choose between the rebuilt west side and the older east side, then dress for January.

    By the Reserved Seat editorial teamUpdated How we research

    Upcoming Liberty Bowl dates

    Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.

    Liberty Bowl seats: the quick verdict

    Sit on a sideline between the 30-yard lines. At Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, the west half was just rebuilt and holds the new premium areas, which is where demand peaks. Across the field, beneath the older suite tower, lower and middle rows on the east side tend to be the smarter buy and still show every yard. Game 68 of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl is a Saturday night affair in Memphis: January 2, 2027, 6:30 p.m. local time.

    Because the game starts after sunset, you do not need to pay for a shade side. You do need to plan for cold.

    A rebuilt west side and an older east side

    Memphis Memorial Stadium, as it was called at its 1965 opening, took the bowl's name in December 1975, and Simmons Bank bought the naming rights in 2021. It is the University of Memphis home field and the yearly site of the Southern Heritage Classic. The stands are steep, which keeps mid-level seats closer to the field than a map suggests.

    After the 2023 season, a multi-phase renovation tore down and rebuilt the west side. The university's plans called for Founders' Suites, Founders' Loge Boxes, added private suites and a general-admission party plaza, with completion expected before the 2026 season. During construction, capacity dipped into the low 30,000s. Wikipedia's 2026 figure is 45,632; the school's projection for the finished stadium is roughly 50,000. Expect the listed number to firm up when the last phase closes out.

    Choosing a side, a level and an end

    • West sideline, between the 30s: new seats, premium options and the highest demand.
    • East sideline, lower and middle rows: a full-field view, often at a lower price than the west side.
    • Upper rows on either side: fine sightlines thanks to the steep pitch, but they catch the most wind on a January night.
    • End zones: lowest demand, and typically where the bands and student sections land. Loud and fun, but tough for judging yardage at the line.

    Each fan base tends to gather behind its team's bench, so confirm sideline assignments after the matchup is set if you want to sit with your own school. Bringing children? A seat close to a concourse exit makes warm-up breaks easy.

    Matchups, timing and the January date

    On paper, the bowl partners with the Big 12 and the Southeastern Conference (SEC): per Wikipedia, a Big 12 team meets an SEC pick from a pool of bowls, and the American serves as backup. Those arrangements are renegotiated periodically, and the January 2026 game showed how flexible they can be: Navy played Cincinnati, neither from the listed pairing. Wait for the early-December announcement before assuming a matchup.

    The date moves too. Recent editions fell on December 31 in 2019 and 2020, December 28 in 2021 and 2022, December 29 in 2023, December 27 in 2024 and January 2 in 2026. The next game is January 2 again, a Saturday night.

    Distance drives demand. Put a drive-in SEC school in the game, say Arkansas, Ole Miss or Mississippi State, and the best seats go quickly; match two faraway schools and inventory lingers.

    Bowl week in Memphis

    The bowl's published schedule for the January 2027 game includes:

    • December 30: professional rodeo, Agricenter Show Place Arena.
    • December 31: an FCA breakfast, Hilton Memphis.
    • January 1: Beale Street Parade (2 p.m.), then the Bash on Beale rally (3:30 p.m.), then the evening President's Gala, held at The Peabody.
    • January 2: Gold Star Families March, plus a pregame party with a buffet at Liberty Park next door.

    Both teams also make an annual visit to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, one of the traditions organizers put front and center. Times and locations can change, so confirm on the bowl's schedule. A downtown hotel keeps you close to the parade, rally and gala, a short ride from the game, and leaves time for Beale Street, The Peabody and Memphis barbecue.

    Tiger Lane, parking and the ride home

    Midtown is home to the stadium, on land that was once the Mid-South Fairgrounds, minutes by car from downtown. The surrounding acreage is becoming Liberty Park, with youth sports facilities, restaurants, stores and hotels in the plan.

    • Tiger Lane: a 17-acre lawn in front of the stadium and the main pregame gathering place for tailgating and events.
    • Parking: buy ahead online through the bowl. Expect different lots and prices than on a Tigers game day.
    • Rideshare: simple coming from downtown; going back after a night game takes patience, so choose a pickup spot a few blocks from the main gates.

    The stadium operator sets bag and entry policy, and new gates opening with each construction phase may change it. Look for updated guidance in the days before the game. Reserved Seat backs every order with guaranteed entry.

    Philadelphia, Atlantic City, then Memphis

    Philadelphia was the birthplace: Villanova's onetime athletic director, A.F. "Bud" Dudley, launched the game there in 1959. The opener at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium ended with Penn State shutting out Alabama 7–0 before 36,211. Crowds stayed small, and after five Philadelphia games the bowl left.

    In 1964 it went indoors to Convention Hall in Atlantic City, the first major college bowl under a roof. Grass was laid on burlap over the concrete floor, and Utah beat West Virginia 32–6 with 6,059 watching. Memphis took the game in 1965 and has kept it since. Organizers rank it the seventh-oldest bowl. Four Heisman winners have played in it, and Bear Bryant and Lou Holtz have coached in it.

    • December 29, 1982: Alabama beat Illinois 21–15 in Bryant's last game; he died a month later.
    • 2007: Mississippi State versus UCF drew 63,816, the record.
    • 2022: Arkansas won a triple-overtime shootout with Kansas, 55–53, the most points in the game's history; the Jayhawks' Jalon Daniels threw for 544 yards, a bowl record.
    • January 2026: Navy handled Cincinnati, 35–13.

    From 1989 to 1992 the bowl invited the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy winner (awarded within the Army, Navy and Air Force series); the Falcons appeared every one of those four years. Conference USA's champion held a slot from 1996 to 2013. Arkansas leads all schools with seven appearances. AutoZone, based in Memphis, has sponsored the game since 2004.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which side of the stadium is better for the Liberty Bowl?

    Demand concentrates on the rebuilt west side, home of the new premium areas. Lower and middle rows on the east side usually see the whole field for less.

    Do I need to worry about sun at the Liberty Bowl?

    No. The January 2, 2027 kickoff comes after dark, at 6:30 that evening. Cold and wind, especially high up, are what to plan for.

    What is the capacity of Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium?

    As of 2026, Wikipedia gives 45,632 following the west-side rebuild; the university expects roughly 50,000 once construction wraps up.

    When is the Beale Street Parade?

    It is set for New Year's Day at 2 p.m., with the Bash on Beale pep rally following at 3:30. Confirm times with the bowl closer to the date.

    Where do fans tailgate for the Liberty Bowl?

    Tiger Lane, the big lawn out front of the stadium, is the tailgating hub. Buy parking ahead on the bowl's site.

    Was the Liberty Bowl always in Memphis?

    No. Philadelphia hosted the first five games starting in 1959, Atlantic City had it in 1964, and Memphis has been home since 1965.

    Sources