Upcoming Virginia Cavaliers 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.
The quick pick for a Wahoo Saturday at Scott
For most Virginia Cavaliers Football games, the seat to buy is a west-side sideline seat between the 30-yard lines at Scott Stadium, the 61,500-seat open-air bowl on UVA's Grounds in Charlottesville. The west side keeps the afternoon sun behind you, the midfield sections show both ends of the field equally, and the upper deck on that side gives a full, clean overview if the lower rows are gone.
Three other choices are worth knowing before you buy:
- The Hill: a grass seating area, part general admission and part student section. Relaxed and cheap in spirit, but not a place to study the game.
- End zone seats: the value tier. You see goal-line plays up close and lose depth on the far end.
- East-side seats: the same view as the west, but you face the sun in an early-season afternoon kickoff.
Home games run on Saturdays from late August or early September into late November. Virginia has played in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since 1953.
Sideline, end zone, upper deck or the Hill
Scott Stadium opened in 1931 with 25,000 seats and grew in two big steps. Upper decks and grass hill seating took it to 40,000 in 1981. A 2000 expansion, funded largely by Carl Smith, filled in the upper deck and enclosed the south end, adding the pergola. The full name of the place is now the Carl Smith Center, home of David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium, and you will see both names on maps.
Lower sideline
The closest look at the line of scrimmage. Skip the first few rows if you can; standing players and staff along the benches block part of the near side. Mid-level rows see over them.
Upper sideline
A higher, flatter-to-follow view of the whole field. For watching plays develop, many fans prefer it to a low row in the corner.
End zones
Before 2000, the open south end looked out toward the Blue Ridge Mountains and Monticello Mountain. That end is now enclosed. End zone seats are the least expensive reserved option and work well for fans who care more about the atmosphere than the angle.
The Hill
According to Virginia Athletics, the Hill opens first come, first served to all ticket holders as capacity allows, and it doubles as part of the student section. Families with small children like the room to move. If you want a fixed seat and a clear look at third-down plays, buy a reserved seat instead.
Charlottesville sun: why the west side wins in September
The field runs north to south. In an afternoon game, the sun sits in the western sky, so west-side fans have it at their backs while east-side fans look into it. That difference matters most at a September day kickoff, when heat and glare can wear you down by the fourth quarter.
- Early-season day game: pay the difference for the west side if you can.
- Night game: the sun question disappears, and the east side becomes a fair trade.
- Late November: sun on your face can feel welcome on a cold afternoon, so the east side is no penalty.
Check the kickoff time before you choose a side, since television can move it after the schedule is released.
Where UVA students sit, and how loud it gets
Virginia Athletics lists the student areas as the Hill and Sections 101 to 105 and 501 to 503, seated first come, first served. Students stand for much of the game, and the sections beside them stand with them.
Your choice depends on the day you want:
- Want the energy: pick a section next to the student areas and plan to be on your feet.
- Want to sit: choose a sideline section well away from 101 to 105, or go up a level.
- Bringing young kids: the general-admission part of the Hill gives them space without a stranger behind every seat.
A visiting-fan section is not published in the sources this page uses, so confirm the location with the seller if sitting with your own team matters.
Virginia home games that tighten the market
Most of Virginia's schedule leaves seats available. A few games do not.
- Virginia Tech: the state's main rivalry. The teams first met in 1895, have played every year since 1970 and have competed for the Commonwealth Cup since 1996. The game lands in late November, often Thanksgiving weekend, and has alternated between Scott Stadium and Lane Stadium since 1964. Virginia Tech won 15 in a row from 2004 to 2018; Virginia's win in 2019 sent it to its first Orange Bowl. A Tech year in Charlottesville is the toughest ticket on the calendar.
- North Carolina: the South's Oldest Rivalry, first played in 1892 and played every year since 1919, alternating sites. President Calvin Coolidge attended the 1928 game in Charlottesville.
- Florida State: the two play for the Jefferson–Eppes Trophy, created after Virginia's 1995 upset. A ranked Seminoles team draws a big crowd.
- Duke and Maryland: older rivalries that ACC scheduling now makes occasional.
The easiest tickets are early non-conference dates, including the long-running series with William & Mary. Homecoming and other ACC games sit in the middle.
Buying UVA tickets: face value, donors and resale
Virginia Athletics offers full-season plans, single-game seats and group packages. Donations through the Virginia Athletics Foundation generally decide who gets the best season locations, and students claim seats through the university's own student ticketing system. All tickets are mobile.
For a typical ACC home game, buying close to the date is low risk. For Virginia Tech, a ranked visitor or a late-season game with a title race on the line, the best sideline seats tend to go early, and resale is how many fans get in. Asking prices for those dates tend to rise as game day approaches and the standings sharpen, so lock in your section once you know you are going. Every Reserved Seat order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Gameday rules, parking and shuttles for 2026
As of the 2026 season, Virginia Athletics lists these rules. Check the Virginia football gameday page before you go, since lots and policies change.
- Bags: clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, a one-gallon clear freezer bag, or a small clutch up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches.
- Gates: open 90 minutes before kickoff.
- Tickets: mobile only, and screenshots are refused, so add them to your phone's wallet ahead of time.
- Alcohol: sold to fans 21 and older, two drinks per transaction.
- Parking: Virginia Athletics Foundation lots use digital passes. Free parking is offered at Fontaine Research Park, North Grounds and the John Paul Jones Arena lots, with three shuttle routes before and after the game.
- Tailgating: propane grills only (no charcoal), and your setup must stay within your vehicle's footprint.
The Cavalier, coats and ties, and a long football history
A rider dressed as the Cavalier leads the team onto the field on horseback before every home game, with orange and blue fireworks overhead. The ritual came back in 1995, the year grass replaced artificial turf. Many alumni still dress for the occasion in jackets, ties and sundresses, while students wear orange, the color coach Al Groh asked fans to adopt in 2003.
UVA football dates to the late 1880s. No Southern school was stronger early: Virginia strung together 28 winning seasons in a row after its debut year and claimed 12 Southern titles over a 20-year span, and in 1915 it won at the Yale Bowl, something no team from the South had done. The middle of the century was lean, including a 28-game losing streak from 1958 to 1960. George Welsh, coach from 1982 to 2000, rebuilt it: a first bowl trip (the 1984 Peach Bowl), ACC titles in 1989 and 1995, a first No. 1 ranking in October 1990, and in 1995 the first ACC win over Florida State. Around Charlottesville the team is simply the Hoos, from Wahoos. The 2025 team won a school-record 11 games and reached the ACC Championship Game.
Frequently asked questions
Which side of Scott Stadium is shaded for an afternoon game?
The field runs north to south, so the west-side stands have the afternoon sun behind them while the east side faces it. For a September day kickoff, the west side is more comfortable.
Can any ticket holder sit on the Hill at Scott Stadium?
According to Virginia Athletics, the Hill opens to all ticket holders first come, first served as capacity allows. Part of it is also used by students.
Which sections do UVA students use?
Virginia Athletics lists the Hill and Sections 101 to 105 and 501 to 503 for students. Sections next to them tend to stand for most of the game.
Where is the Virginia vs. Virginia Tech game played?
It alternates between Scott Stadium in Charlottesville and Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, a pattern in place since 1964. It is usually played in late November.
Is there free parking for Virginia football games?
As of the 2026 season, free parking is offered at Fontaine Research Park, North Grounds and the John Paul Jones Arena lots, with shuttles before and after the game. Check Virginia Athletics for current lots.