The University of Michigan and Western Michigan University will reportedly open the 2026 college football season with a game in Frankfurt, Germany.

Michigan will play its 2026 season opener against Western Michigan in Frankfurt, Germany. The game will be held at Deutsche Bank Park, a soccer stadium with a retractable roof. This marks the first time Michigan will play a game outside the U.S., excluding practices held in Rome in 2017.

U-M announced Friday, July 25, it is in the midst of “ongoing discussions” to kick off the 2026 season against Western Michigan at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany. The game, originally scheduled for Sept. 5, would be moved to Saturday, Aug. 29, and would become the first Wolverines game outside of North America.