Upcoming North Carolina Tar Heels Football 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.
Kenan Stadium in one glance: south side, upper rows, east-end comfort
For a North Carolina Tar Heels game, the seat to buy is on the south sideline between the 30-yard lines. With the goal lines at the east and west ends, an afternoon sun glares at the north stands while south-side fans have it at their backs. If midfield lower rows are out of reach, an upper sideline row is usually a better buy than a low seat near a corner. Want indoor lounges and the richest amenities in the stadium? Look to the Blue Zone at the east end.
The stadium is at the heart of the Chapel Hill campus and, since a 2018 seating overhaul, holds roughly 50,500. Expect home Saturdays from the end of summer through November.
- Best view: south sideline, between the 30s.
- Best value: upper sideline rows on either side.
- Best comfort: the Blue Zone clubs, loges and suites in the east end.
- Plan to stand: the west end, which is mostly student seating.
The bowl in the pines: how Kenan's seating fits together
Builders set Kenan into a natural ravine, and pines and oaks still crowd its rim. What you sit in today is layered history: the 1927 grandstands form the lower sideline seats, 1963 added a second deck above each, late-1990s construction filled the west end to make a horseshoe, and the 2011 Blue Zone sealed the east.
North and south sidelines
Seats between the 30s on either side carry the highest demand. The stands bow slightly toward midfield, a holdover from the original design, which helps the angle. Upper rows give you the whole field and every formation. Low rows near the corners are the seats to skip if you have a choice.
Sun and weather
North-side fans spend a day game squinting south into the sun. UNC does not publish a shade map, so treat this as orientation, but for a September day game the south side is the cooler bet. Under the lights the question disappears, and a late-November evening game gets chilly fast.
West end: the Tar Pit
Students own the bulk of the west end and three adjoining sections on the south side, together known as the Tar Pit. If a resale ticket lands you there, expect to stand.
East end: the Blue Zone
Roughly 3,000 premium seats split among clubs, loges and suites, plus a field-level concourse club. It is the most comfortable part of the building.
The visitors get an allotment too. If a pocket of opposing fans would bother you, study the seat map on your listing, especially for corner sections.
NC State week, the Victory Bell and other Kenan crowds
- NC State: The rivalry that matters most on both campuses. The teams first played in 1894 and have met every year since the ACC began in 1953, with the ACC-era results close to even. When the Wolfpack come to Chapel Hill, typically in the back half of the schedule, Kenan's seats are at their scarcest.
- Duke: The Triangle rivalry, begun in 1888 against what was then Trinity College. Since 1948 the prize has been the Victory Bell, which each winner paints its own blue.
- Virginia: Known as the "South's Oldest Rivalry," this 1892 series ranks among the most frequently played in the power conferences, and UVA was the dedication-day opponent in 1927.
- Wake Forest: UNC and Wake met in 1888 in the first college football game ever played in the state.
- South Carolina: The Battle of the Carolinas comes around only now and then; the last regular-season edition was a neutral-site game in Charlotte on September 2, 2023.
Rivalry games, ranked ACC opponents and late-season games during a winning year draw the biggest crowds. Early nonconference dates are where you will have your pick of sections.
Walking in through the trees: Chapel Hill gameday
Kenan was built so fans would reach it on foot through the woods, and that is still how most people arrive, along brick walkways from across campus. Spaces close to the stadium are few, so lock in a parking plan before leaving home and expect slow roads into town for marquee games.
- Tailgating: Groups set up in designated lots and on lawns scattered around campus; there is no single giant stadium lot. Each area has its own rules, posted with the athletics department's gameday information each season.
- Entry: Recent seasons have brought a clear-bag rule here, as at most conference stadiums. Review the latest version on the UNC athletics football page before you go.
- Comfort: The bowl is almost entirely open to the sky. Pack sunscreen and water for muggy early games, and a jacket for November nights.
Listen for "I'm a Tar Heel Born," the fight song, and look for Rameses, the live ram mascot, on the sideline.
Rams Club priority and buying Tar Heels tickets
Season holders who renew keep first claim, and sideline placement rises with donations to the Rams Club, the booster organization. The student allotment, handled by the university, takes up most of the west end. Once the season base is seated, single-game tickets go on sale, and nonconference games often have lots of inventory left.
Big games break that pattern. Against the Wolfpack, the Blue Devils or a ranked opponent, season holders already control the prime sections, so most buyers turn to resale. Expect the matchup, UNC's form, the start time and the weather to set the price, with noticeable swings in the last few days. Every Reserved Seat order includes free shipping and no digital transfer fees.
From Emerson Field to the Belichick era: UNC background
Football at UNC goes back to 1888, early even by Southern standards, and the school helped launch the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 1953. Consistency rather than dynasty defines the résumé: five league titles (1963, 1971, 1972, 1977, 1980), Coastal Division crowns in 2015 and 2022, and a pipeline to the NFL that includes Lawrence Taylor, Julius Peppers and Drake Maye. Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice packed the stands in the late 1940s. In December 2024 the school hired Bill Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl winner as an NFL head coach, which brought unusual national attention; see the latest reporting for today's staff and roster.
Before Kenan, the Tar Heels played at Emerson Field, with room for roughly 2,400. Class of 1894 alumnus William R. Kenan Jr. funded the new stadium to honor his parents, and workers cut it from the ravine in just seven months. Its 24,000 seats were dedicated on November 24, 1927, as UNC edged Virginia 14–13. Additions in 1963, 1988 and 1997–1998 reached 60,000; the 2011 east end build lifted it to roughly 63,000; and swapping metal bleachers for individual seats in 2018 trimmed it to about 50,500. The field went to synthetic turf in 2019, with a return to grass planned for 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Which side of Kenan Stadium is better for an afternoon game?
Sit south. With the end zones at the east and west, the afternoon sun shines into the north stands and stays behind south-side fans.
What is the Tar Pit at Kenan Stadium?
It is the student section: the bulk of the west end plus three adjoining south-side sections. Students stand all game.
Why did Kenan Stadium's capacity drop?
A 2018 project swapped the old benches for individual seats, cutting the count from roughly 63,000 to about 50,500.
What is the Victory Bell?
It goes to the winner of UNC vs. Duke, a tradition since 1948, and each winner repaints it in its own blue.
Where are the premium seats at Kenan Stadium?
The Blue Zone, the 2011 building at the east end, has roughly 3,000 club, loge and suite seats along with indoor lounges.
Is there parking next to Kenan Stadium?
Very little. The stadium sits in the middle of campus, so most fans park farther away and walk in. Check UNC's gameday information for current lots and rules.