The new football rivalry between Trier and Evanston will have a special setting for 2026: Northwestern’s new Ryan Field

The first high school football game ever played at the rebuilt Ryan Field will feature one of the state’s greatest rivalries.

New Trier will face its longest-standing foe Evanston at Northwestern University’s redesigned stadium in Week 9 – Friday evening, Oct. 16 – of the upcoming high school football season, according to officials from Northwestern, New Trier and Evanston during a news conference on Tuesday, May 26.

“In 143 days, Evanston will compete with New Trier in Illinois’ greatest rivalry in college football’s largest arena,” Evanston Township High School athletic director Chris Livatino said at the event.

Northwestern school leaders have regularly stated that the $850 million rebuilt Ryan Field was not just a football stadium but also a community venue for everything from seasonal events to concerts and local sports, the latter of which Northwestern called a “second anchor tenant” in a news release.

Pat Ryan Jr., a Northwestern trustee whose family is the main backer of the new stadium, announced news of the special event at Tuesday’s news conference. He also announced that Northwestern would host other rent-free youth sports, such as a basketball tournament and Olympic-style games.

“We specifically committed that if we were given the opportunity to host concerts and sell alcohol like other major stadiums, we would reinvest a portion of those revenues into community events, including local high school and youth sports,” Ryan Jr. said. “Today’s announcement about these major rent-free events is just the first example of delivering on these commitments to reinvest in Evanston and the broader community.”

Trier’s new athletic director, Augie Fontanetta, delivered the news of the football game’s location to Trevians football coach Brian Doll about a month ago. Doll said that when he broke the news to his team, they broke out.

“Just total excitement when he let me know, and I was able to tell the kids last week … and they were totally excited,” Doll said. The record.

He added, “It’s a big deal for both schools. … These two schools are connected, and Isabella Street here is the border and the stadium is right on Isabella. You’re talking about these two communities that live here, the historic traditions, large alumni bases, and it’s just special.”

New Trier and Evanston high schools have competed on a football field since 1913 (sometimes twice a year). In that time, Evanston has a narrow lead with 57 wins to 54. The teams have drawn six times.

Recent clashes of the historic rivalry have also lived up to expectations. The teams have split the last four games. New Trier defeated the Wildkits 2025 And 2022while Evanston came out on top in both matches 2024 And 2023 seasons.

The Week 9 game at Ryan Field will be New Trier’s final game of both the 2026 regular season and the conference schedule. As reported by The record earlier this month, the Trevians will play a shorter three-game conference schedule this year as the Central Suburban League Conference shifts to a three-division structure for football.

“I’m so excited. It’s going to be great,” New Trier senior Alex Fairchild said. “This is the biggest stadium that almost everyone on the team is going to play in. It’s such a cool place. It’s also the third game ever to be played (at Ryan Field), so it also seems like the beginning of an era.”

“It’s a college football stadium. Most people will never get to play in a stadium like that, and the whole team gets the experience. It’s going to be great.”

And the collegiate experiences don’t stop there for student-athletes from New Trier and Evanston.

Also announced: The annual New Trier-Evanston rivalry basketball returns to Northwestern this season with a girls-boys doubleheader on Feb. 5, 2027 at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

With much riding on the university’s athletics schedule, school officials declined to say whether the football or basketball games would become an annual affair.

Regardless, Fontanetta celebrated planning a memorable experience.

“We are especially excited about our student-athletes from Evanston and New Trier,” Fontanetta said during the news conference. “High school athletics has always been about the student experience and ensuring our children have great experiences throughout their high school careers. What better experience than showcasing the greatest football rivalry on the new Ryan Field.”

If previously reported by Evanston Roundtablethe new Ryan Field will officially open on Friday, October 2, when Northwestern will take on Penn State University.

Northwestern’s evening game on October 2 will be broadcast nationally on Fox, several media outlets reported earlier this year. According to the Round tableOctober 2 also marks the 100th anniversary of the first game at the first Ryan Field, which opened as Dyche Stadium on October 2, 1926.

The Wildcats begin their 2026 home schedule with their first two games played at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, the university’s facility on the shores of Lake Michigan.

When construction on the $850 million, privately financed new stadium began in July 2024, university officials first expected it would be completed in time for the start of the 2026 season. But as the Round table The timeline has reportedly been pushed back to a completion date of mid-September this year.

Northwestern announced its intention to build the new “world-class” facility in the fall of 2022. The project will replace the previous 47,000-seat stadium with a smaller (35,000-seat), but modernized Big Ten football arena.

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