UNC game day
Game day in Chapel Hill.
Home dates with kickoff times and TV where set, the $10 Tar Heel Express shuttle, parking, Chapel Thrill, and what to bring through the gate. TBA means the time has not been announced yet; times can change: check goheels.com.
Skip the parking hunt
Tar Heel Express shuttle
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Chapel Hill Transit game-day shuttleFor UNC home football and men's basketball. $10 per person including fees, age 5 and under free. Passes are sold on GoFan: no cash. It boards at two free park-and-ride lots, the Friday Center and Southern Village. The Town says a return to the lots during the game is not guaranteed.
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Drop-offFootball: Kenan Stadium on South Rd near Woolen Gym. Men's basketball: the Smith Center on Skipper Bowles Dr.
Shuttle times change by game; check the Town's Tar Heel Express page and goheels.com the morning of.
2026-27 home games
Home schedule
Dates, times and TV from the official goheels.com schedules, checked Oct 2, 2026. TBA means the time has not been announced yet. Past games hide themselves.
Football · Kenan Stadium 5
| Date | Opponent | Time · TV |
|---|---|---|
| Sat Oct 3 | Notre Dame (Chapel Thrill: Chase Rice) | Noon (12:07 p.m. on the gameday timeline) · ESPN |
| Sat Oct 24 | Syracuse (Family Football Day. Chapel Thrill: Parmalee) | TBA |
| Sat Oct 31 | Miami (Rams Club Day. Chapel Thrill: Neon Trees) | TBA |
| Sat Nov 14 | Louisville (Homecoming, Military Appreciation and Monogram Day. Chapel Thrill: Waka Flocka Flame) | TBA |
| Sat Nov 28 | NC State (Senior Day. Chapel Thrill: 38 Special) | TBA |
Men's basketball · Smith Center 19
| Date | Opponent | Time · TV |
|---|---|---|
| Tue Oct 27 | Charlotte (Preseason exhibition) | 7:30 p.m. · ACCNX |
| Mon Nov 2 | Western Carolina (Regular-season opener) | TBA |
| Fri Nov 6 | Wofford | TBA |
| Tue Nov 10 | Wyoming | TBA |
| Fri Nov 13 | Georgia | TBA |
| Fri Nov 20 | Marshall | TBA |
| Mon Nov 23 | Monmouth | TBA |
| Tue Dec 1 | Arkansas (ACC/SEC Challenge) | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sun Dec 6 | Butler | TBA |
| Mon Dec 21 | The Citadel | TBA |
| Wed Dec 30 | Cal | TBA |
| Sat Jan 9 | NC State | TBA |
| Sat Jan 16 | Stanford | TBA |
| Tue Jan 19 | Virginia | TBA |
| Tue Jan 26 | SMU | TBA |
| Sat Feb 6 | Georgia Tech | TBA |
| Mon Feb 8 | Louisville | 7 p.m. |
| Mon Feb 22 | Miami | 7 p.m. |
| Sat Mar 6 | Duke | TBA |
Women's basketball · Carmichael Arena 19
| Date | Opponent | Time · TV |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Oct 18 | Davidson (Exhibition) | 1 p.m. |
| Wed Nov 11 | NC Central | TBA |
| Tue Nov 24 | Gardner-Webb | TBA |
| Fri Nov 27 | Army | TBA |
| Sun Nov 29 | Brown | TBA |
| Wed Dec 2 | LSU (SEC/ACC Challenge) | 7:15 p.m. · ESPN2 |
| Sun Dec 6 | Elon | TBA |
| Wed Dec 9 | Winthrop | 11 a.m. |
| Sun Dec 13 | NC State | TBA |
| Thu Dec 17 | Georgia Tech | TBA |
| Mon Dec 21 | Norfolk State | TBA |
| Mon Dec 28 | UNCW | TBA |
| Thu Jan 7 | Wake Forest | TBA |
| Sun Jan 17 | Boston College | TBA |
| Thu Jan 28 | Notre Dame | TBA |
| Sun Jan 31 | Duke | TBA |
| Sun Feb 7 | Virginia Tech | TBA |
| Sun Feb 21 | Florida State | TBA |
| Thu Feb 25 | Virginia | TBA |
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Chapel Thrill (football pregame)Starts 3 hours before every home kickoff. Performers start 2 hours before in front of Wilson Library, and Old Well Walk is about 2.5 hours before kickoff. For noon games, tailgating, the Modelo Kick Off Club and the Coca-Cola Fan Zone open at 9 a.m., with last call at 11:30 a.m. Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff.
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Dates worth knowingOct 24 Syracuse is Family Football Day (Carolina Family Weekend is Oct 23 to 25). Oct 31 Miami falls on Halloween. Nov 14 Louisville is Homecoming. Nov 28 NC State is Senior Day. Away at Duke: football Oct 17, men's basketball Feb 13, 2027 at 5:30 p.m.
Football, men's and women's basketball home dates from the official goheels.com schedules, checked Oct 2, 2026. The Sept 12 ETSU game has been played. Oct 31 is both Halloween and a home football date: expect heavy downtown traffic and parking. Times and TV change; confirm before you go.
If you drive
Parking on game day
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On campusUNC advises riding transit instead of parking on campus. For the Sept 12 opener, game-day lots opened at 7 a.m., South Road was game-day-permit-only starting 4 hours before kickoff, and Stadium Drive was permit-only with vehicles removed by 8 a.m. Reserve ahead with ParkMobile. UNC lists the same pattern for later games, so verify.
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Downtown Chapel HillDuring special events the Town charges a $30 flat rate in select lots and decks and $3 per hour on-street. The 415 and 425 W Franklin St lots stay hourly. Reserve through ParkMobile.
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Accessible parkingSee the questions below, and our parking page.
At the gate
Questions about game day
The Kenan Stadium rules below come from UNC Athletics' game guide, and the guide year is shown in each answer. Rules can change every season: check the current guide on goheels.com before you go.
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When do the gates open at Kenan Stadium?Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff (UNC Athletics, Sept. 1, 2026). Gate 5 is student-only; public gates include 1, 2, 3 and 6, and entry screening is Evolv. As an example, for the noon Notre Dame game on Oct. 3, 2026, UNC's timeline put the gates at 10:30 a.m. Pregame: the Chapel Thrill festivities start three hours before every home kickoff, performers start two hours before in front of Wilson Library, and Old Well Walk is about two and a half hours before kickoff. (The 2024 guide's 'about 30 minutes before kickoff' no longer applies.)
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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What is the Kenan Stadium clear bag policy?UNC's standing game-day guide (page dated 2023, still the live A-to-Z on Oct. 2, 2026; no separate 2026 bag release was found) allows one clear plastic or vinyl bag up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, including a gallon freezer bag, or a small clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches, plus medical items after inspection. Listed exceptions: camera bags, binocular cases, seat cushions with pockets, and clear backpacks that stay inside those dimensions. Umbrellas may not be opened in the stadium.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Can I bring water into Kenan Stadium?Yes, within limits: up to two unopened water bottles of 20 oz or less per person, plus empty containers you can fill at fountains. Other outside food and drink are prohibited (UNC game-day guide, live Oct. 2, 2026).
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Can I bring my own alcohol into Kenan Stadium?No. Outside alcohol is prohibited. Per UNC's game-day guide (live Oct. 2, 2026), beer and wine are sold inside at several stands, limited to two alcoholic drinks per transaction, from when the gates open until the start of the fourth quarter. The concessionaire does not accept a vertical (under-21) North Carolina license. The campus is smoke-free, including e-cigarettes, within 100 feet of venues.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Can you tailgate before UNC football games?Yes. For 2026 the Chapel Thrill pregame party starts three hours before every home kickoff (UNC Athletics, Sept. 1, 2026). For the noon games, UNC's Know Before You Go notes (Sept. 11 and Oct. 1, 2026) put tailgating, the Modelo Kick Off Club and the Coca-Cola Fan Zone at 9 a.m., with last call for the Fan Zone and Chapel Thrill at 11:30 a.m. We did not find a season-wide lot-by-lot tailgate closing time. The older guide's 'four hours before kickoff' Bell Tower Block Party start is superseded by the 2026 three-hour start. Paid tailgates (REVELxp) are listed at revelxp.com. Coolers and outside food and drink do not go into the stadium.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Can I leave Kenan Stadium and come back in?No. UNC's game-day guide says re-entry is not permitted. The one exception is severe weather: if lightning is within 10 miles fans may leave, and they may re-enter with a ticket stub once it passes; the stadium is evacuated when weather is within 8 miles.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Are dogs allowed at Kenan Stadium?Pets are prohibited except service animals. The guide says emotional support, therapy and companion dogs are not service animals under the ADA and are not permitted.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Can I smoke or vape on the UNC campus?No. UNC is a smoke-free campus; smoking, including e-cigarettes, is prohibited within 100 feet of campus venues and facilities.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Where is accessible parking for football games?The Ambulatory Care Center Lot, $40 per vehicle, card only, with a state disability permit or plate required (UNC Transportation & Parking athletics page, retrieved Oct. 2, 2026; the older A-to-Z guide still says $25). Rideshare and taxi drop-off is the South Columbia bus lane between Manning Drive and South Road.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Is accessible seating available at UNC games?Yes, at all ticketed UNC Athletics events. It is reserved for guests with accessible needs and companions, typically up to two companion seats per person who needs accessible seating.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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What is the Smith Center bag policy for basketball?Bag rules for the Smith Center / Carmichael change; check goheels.com before you go.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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What is the bag policy at Carmichael Arena for women's basketball?Bag rules for the Smith Center / Carmichael change; check goheels.com before you go.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Do kids need a ticket for UNC football games?UNC's gameday guide says tickets are required for all fans over two years of age.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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How much does football game-day parking cost at UNC?UNC's athletics parking page (retrieved Oct. 2, 2026) lists public lots at $35 prepaid on ParkMobile or $40 for unsold spaces on game day, sales final: 700 Hibbard, Ambulatory Care Center (placard or pre-approval), Branson Street, Cardinal Deck, Jackson Deck, Manning and South Chiller. Friday Center and Southern Village are free parking with the $10 Tar Heel Express shuttle. The older A-to-Z guide's $20/$25 prices and its 440 North and Systems Office lots are not on the current page. Vehicles left in reserved areas after 8:00 a.m. on game day are relocated (citation $50, relocation $125). RVs: free at the Friday Center, seven spaces, arrive after 6 p.m. Friday and leave by 5 p.m. Sunday, no hookups.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Can I arrive early and park in the lots at dawn on game day?Not at dawn. UNC's Sept. 10, 2026 note said game-day lots for the noon Sept. 12 game opened at 7 a.m., with ParkMobile reservations recommended; the athletics parking page says vehicles left in reserved areas after 8:00 a.m. are relocated ($50 citation plus $125 relocation). Check the page for your game's opening time.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Is there a shuttle from the accessible parking lot to Kenan Stadium?Yes. A game-day shuttle runs from the Ambulatory Care Center Lot to Gates 2 and 6, starting three hours before the game and running until 10 minutes after kickoff; return shuttles resume after the game, and an emergency ride during the game is by EMS request (UNC Transportation & Parking, retrieved Oct. 2, 2026).
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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How do I buy accessible tickets for a UNC game?Choose Accessible Seating when buying single-game tickets at goheels.com/tickets, or call the UNC Athletics Ticket Office at (919) 962-2296 or (800) 722-4335, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Does Kenan Stadium have sensory accommodations?UNC's guide says there are currently limited sensory accommodations, so families who need them should contact UNC Athletics before the game.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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What happens on Franklin Street after big wins, such as over Duke? Unofficial sourceWe found no official rule, closure plan or police FAQ from the Town, UNC Police or GoHeels. The Daily Tar Heel (Mar. 6, 2026, an opinion column) described students rushing Franklin Street after the Feb. 7, 2026 home win over Duke. That is eyewitness color, not an order. Duke dates on the 2026-27 official schedules: football at Duke Oct. 17 (time to be announced); men's basketball at Duke Feb. 13, 2027 at 5:30 p.m. and at the Smith Center Mar. 6, 2027 (time to be announced); women's basketball hosts Duke at Carmichael Jan. 31, 2027 and plays at Duke Feb. 28, 2027. Open-container rules still apply on Franklin Street (see Local rules).
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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When is Carolina Family Weekend 2026?October 23 to 25, 2026, with early check-in Thursday, Oct. 22 at the West Lounge, FPG Student Union. Registration is open and some events need a ticket or advance registration. Saturday, Oct. 24 is also Family Football Day vs. Syracuse at Kenan Stadium (kickoff to be announced). Contact: [email protected], weekdays 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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When is UNC Winter Commencement 2026?Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. in the Dean E. Smith Center, per the Registrar's graduation dates page (retrieved Oct. 2, 2026). It is much smaller than the spring ceremony in Kenan Stadium.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026