Upcoming Sun 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.
The Sun Bowl seat call: middle third, west side
For the Sun Bowl, sit in the middle third of a sideline, in the middle or upper rows. The west side, home to the press box, suites and the latest premium seating, and it keeps the afternoon sun mostly at your back; the east side offers the same field view, often for less, with the sun more in your eyes. The 2026 edition is a New Year's Eve noon kickoff, Thursday, December 31, 12 p.m. Mountain, broadcast by CBS from El Paso, Texas.
Rows right by the field have the benches between you and the far sideline, and demand bottoms out in the north end zone. Everything else is a question of price, sun and how far you want to climb.
A horseshoe carved into the hillside
Built in 1963, the stadium belongs to UTEP (the University of Texas at El Paso), whose Miners play there. It fills a natural hollow in the desert terrain, about 3,910 feet up. Wikipedia lists current seating at 45,971 and nominal capacity at 51,500; the record crowd of 54,021, for Notre Dame and Miami in 2010, topped both.
- Sidelines: grandstands run the length of both sides. Because the stadium is built into the terrain, upper rows are a real climb, but they see the entire field.
- North end: stands were added behind this end zone in 1982. From these seats you look the length of the field at the open end and the mountains behind it.
- South end: open, with the slope covered in school logos.
About 15 million dollars of upgrades, finished in time for 2021, brought a new press building with luxury suites, updated concourses and premium west-side seating.
Where the desert sun lands
The game's name is a fair warning. A late-December noon sun hangs low to the south, and the open end does nothing to screen it. Through the afternoon it swings southwest, so the east stands generally look into it and the west stands turn their backs to it. In the north end zone you face south, right into the gap.
- Bring sunglasses and sunscreen. Close to 4,000 feet of elevation makes even December sun intense.
- Pack a jacket. Desert air cools fast once the sun drops, and the walk out happens in late afternoon.
- Check the forecast. End-of-December weather in El Paso varies from year to year.
Who buys which Sun Bowl seats
- Fans who want comfort: the west sideline between the 30s, with the newest premium seating and the sun behind you later in the game. Expect the most competition here.
- Value seekers: middle and upper rows on the east sideline. Same angle on the field, usually less demand; plan on sunglasses.
- Groups on a budget: the north end zone, where demand is softest and the view runs end to end.
- Fans with mobility concerns: weigh the climb. In a stadium set into a hillside, upper rows involve plenty of steps.
Every Reserved Seat order includes guaranteed entry.
ACC, Pac-12 and Selection Sunday in El Paso
The current matchup pairs an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) team with a Pac-12 team; the Sun Bowl Association calls that slot "Pac-12 Legacy Teams," meaning schools from the conference as it stood before the 2024 departures. Past partners include the Border Conference, Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East, and with the Pac-12 rebuilt, confirm the pairing each season. Selection Sunday for 2026 is December 6.
Expect December 31 most years. Five of the last seven games landed on that date, the exceptions being December 30, 2022, and December 29, 2023; COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 game. A midday start ends in late afternoon, which leaves the night open.
The matchup sets the crowd. A program with road-tripping fans, or one from the region, packs the horseshoe; two distant programs leave more of it to El Paso locals. Hotels see extra demand on New Year's Eve, so book early if you are staying the night.
Parade, Fan Fiesta and the fall calendar
Instead of one bowl week, the association runs a season of events. The 2026 lineup: an art exhibit in early November; the 90th Sun Bowl Parade on Thanksgiving (November 26), weeks before anyone knows the teams; Selection Sunday on December 6; youth basketball and cheer camps; a pickleball tournament; and, close to kickoff, the Fan Fiesta and a pregame party for fans.
Arriving a day or two early puts you in town for the fan events. Parking, tailgating details and stadium policies, including bag rules, are published by the association separately from UTEP home games and can change each year. The stadium's address is 2701 Sun Bowl Drive; check the Sun Bowl Association site for current rules before game day.
Second-oldest bowl, newest sponsor name
High school teams played the 1935 original. Colleges took over in 1936, when Hardin-Simmons and New Mexico A&M tied at 14. That pedigree trails only the Rose Bowl, and the Sugar and Orange share it. CBS picked up the broadcast in 1968 and never let go, what Wikipedia calls the longest unbroken bowl and network partnership.
Corporate names began with John Hancock in 1986 and ran through 1993. Norwest followed from 1996 to 1998, then Wells Fargo until 2003, Helen of Troy (via its Vitalis and Brut brands) until 2009, Hyundai until 2018, and Kellogg's Tony the Tiger starting in 2019. The 2026 game carries a new label, Old El Paso Sun Bowl, under a General Mills deal.
- 2016: Stanford got past North Carolina 25–23.
- 2018: Stanford edged Pittsburgh 14–13.
- 2019: Arizona State beat Florida State 20–14.
- 2022: Pittsburgh outlasted UCLA 37–35.
- 2023: Notre Dame beat Oregon State 40–8, with 48,223 in the stands.
- 2024: Louisville won 35–34 over Washington.
- 2025: Duke held off Arizona State 42–39 before 44,975.
Frequently asked questions
Which side of Sun Bowl Stadium has the sun behind it?
Generally the west side, as the afternoon sun moves toward the southwest. East-side fans tend to face it, and north end zone seats look straight into the open south end.
What time is the 2026 Sun Bowl?
Kickoff is 12 p.m. Mountain on New Year's Eve, Thursday, December 31, 2026, with CBS televising.
How high is El Paso's Sun Bowl Stadium?
About 3,910 feet above sea level, so the winter sun is stronger than many visitors expect. Wear sunscreen even in December.
Who plays in the Sun Bowl?
An ACC team faces a team the Sun Bowl Association lists as a Pac-12 legacy school. Teams are announced on Selection Sunday, December 6, 2026.
Why is the Sun Bowl Parade held in November?
It has long been part of Thanksgiving in El Paso, so it comes weeks ahead of kickoff. The 90th edition steps off November 26, 2026.
What is the Sun Bowl called in 2026?
Its 2026 name is the Old El Paso Sun Bowl, from a General Mills sponsorship.