Northwestern University has released new concept plans for a temporary lakeside football complex, along with details on seating and sidelines, as part of the effort to rebuild Ryan Field for the 2026 football season.
Seats will be located along all four sides of the field, with the majority of seats located at the north and south ends of the end zones.
The south structure will include semi-private suites and club seating with all-inclusive food and beverage options, and field lodge seating with tables and swivel chairs for up to four. The south structure will also feature general stadium seating.
The north side will be the largest bleacher section and will house student seating, while the east side along the lake shore will house bleacher seating.
The existing west side seating will be utilized during football season.
The temporary stadium is expected to hold up to 15,000 spectators. The previous capacity of Ryan Field was 47,130. The rebuilt stadium will seat 35,000. If you're looking for ticket details or other information, sign up for our online alert list.
As work continues on the $800 million reconstruction of Ryan Field, a temporary arena is being constructed at Lannie and Sharon Martin Stadium, normally home to the university's lacrosse and football teams.
The Northwestern University women's lacrosse team placed second in the NCAA Championship over Memorial Day weekend after losing 14-13 to Boston University. The team went on to defeat Boston University 18-6 in the 2023 NCAA Championship, winning its eighth championship after an 11-year winning streak.
The football team will play the majority of its home games on the temporary field, with the exception of a match against Ohio State on Nov. 16 and a match against Illinois on Nov. 30. Those games will be played at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
Residents of Wilmette and Evanston are opposed to using a rebuilt Ryan Field for commercial activities, including sold-out concerts, which the city allows six times a year. Opponents cite concerns about noise, traffic and parking in the mostly residential areas around the stadium. Proponents argue the foot traffic and revenue concert-goers would bring could be utilized in the nearby downtown area. The lawsuit, filed by the Most Livable Cities Association, is scheduled to be heard in court on June 26.
The Evanston City Council narrowly approved the use of the stadium as a concert venue, with Mayor Daniel Biss casting the tie-breaking vote on Nov. 20. The actual demolition and rebuilding of the 98-year-old stadium has come without much controversy, with residents, city officials and university officials acknowledging that the stadium has long since exceeded its useful lifespan.
The team's first game of the season is scheduled for less than 100 days, on Aug. 31 against Miami (Ohio) at Lakeside Field.
The university is also the target of several lawsuits by former football players who accuse the university of ignoring bullying allegations. Former coach Pat Fitzgerald has also filed a countersuit, alleging that the university breached its contract by firing him after the bullying allegations came to light. In April, Northwestern announced it was consolidating all of its lawsuits following accusations that it was using information about the bullying incidents to bolster its own case against Fitzgerald.
