Story summary
Brian Dubiski, chairman of Union Jack Classic, organized the first U.S. college football game in nearly 40 years at Wembley Stadium on September 19, featuring teams from Kansas and Arizona State. Despite an initial goal to fill all 86,270 seats, only about 46,523 fans attended the event. Dubiski, whose involvement is personal due to a tragic family incident—a concert he planned in 1999 was followed by a fatal shooting at Columbine High School—seeks to build college football's brand globally through such matches.
The game itself drew mixed reactions; while the pre-game atmosphere was lively with tailgating and band performances, the match proved less exciting. Marching bands from both universities significantly enhanced the event’s spirit by playing popular songs, contributing to a unique experience for attendees. Dubbed Union Jack Classic, the competition aims to introduce American college football culture to British audiences.
Organizers hope this inaugural game will inspire future events and fan enthusiasm in Europe, much like NFL games held previously at Wembley. Despite lower-than-expected attendance, the event showcased the energy and excitement of U.S. college football, with students from both teams expressing their ambitions for professional careers in the NFL.
Written for “Wembley College Football Game” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 7 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
It wasn't even gameday in London but the rivalry had already begun.
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rivalry → publish → London
Fans of the Kansas Jayhawks and Arizona State Sun Devils gathered at a pre-game party in Waterloo on Friday.
Kansas fans shouted their rallying cry "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk", while their rivals replied with "ASU, ASU".
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rivals → gather → ASU
After hosting 42 NFL games since 2007, this was London's introduction to a different kind of American football and a different kind of fandom.
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this → host → fandom
Wembley hosted its first American college football game on Saturday, with 46,523 fans attending the inaugural Union Jack Classic (UJC).
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fans → host → Classic
UJC organisers vowed to create an authentic college gameday in London, and they began with tailgate parties.
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they → vow → parties
Fans enjoy food, drink and music for hours before the game, and they are far bigger for college games than in the NFL.
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they → enjoy → NFL
One American fan told BBC Sport she prefers the tailgate to the game itself.
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she → tell → game
The main tailgate at Wembley opened at 10am - seven hours before kick-off - with Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne helping to entertain the crowd.
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N9ne → open → crowd
Arizona State alumni held their own party, with nearly 2,000 fans packed in, while ASU's marching band and cheerleaders performed on stage.
But the wildest party was on Wembley Way, where Fox Sports had an outdoor studio for its live pre-game show.
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Sports → hold → show
It was surrounded by fans and the Fox crew kept trying to stoke the rivalry, while the Kansas and ASU bands battled it out on Wembley Way and on the pitch before kick-off.
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bands → surround → off
The pageantry and passion of college football is what makes it different.
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it → make → football
NFL fans often choose their team, whereas college teams tend to be passed down through families.
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teams → choose → families
"You feel a loyalty to your lineage," said Kansas fan Hannah, who added that college football fans are not just fanatical but "rabid".
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fans → feel → lineage
BBC Sport spoke to families at Wembley who have had multiple generations attend the same school and alumni who now live all over the US but travel thousands of miles to watch their alma mater.
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who → speak → mater
Current ASU student Sophie said her family "bleeds maroon and gold".
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family → say → maroon
Her friend Amelia has ASU merchandise all over the house.
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friend → have → house
She just got a car that's maroon too.
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that → get → car
About 15,000 fans travelled from the US for Saturday's game - 9,000 rooting for ASU and 6,000 Kansas.
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fans → travel → ASU
College games in the US rarely have away fans but, with both teams having a sizable contingent at Wembley, as well as playing at a neutral venue, some visitors said the atmosphere was like a play-off game.
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atmosphere → have → game
Why UK fans are learning about college football
Fans from 35 countries bought tickets and, as with NFL games in London, they represented several teams, not just those playing.
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they → learn → teams
Neutrals wore NFL jerseys and college jerseys, of bigger schools such as Oklahoma, Miami and Texas.
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Neutrals → wear → Oklahoma
More than 100 universities in the UK have American football teams, and UJC organisers targeted those players, partly because, as students, they often find college football more relatable than the NFL.
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football → have → NFL
They formed partnerships with the British American Football Association, British Universities and Colleges Sport and the Jacksonville Jaguars to establish links with the grassroots game in the UK.
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They → form → UK
The UJC has helped to train more than 1,050 British coaches and referees this year, some of whom were at Saturday's game.
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some → help → game
Cambridge University player Alex said it has been "cool" to learn the stories of Kansas and ASU and he would probably go to more college games in future "if they're teams we can rally behind".
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we → say → future
After planning for an attendance of 60,000, Wembley was about half full at 46,523, with some ticketholders moved to the bottom tier to keep the top tier empty.
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ticketholders → plan → tier
Although there were some big plays, the game was not as entertaining as anticipated as ASU claimed a 24-17 win that flattered Kansas.
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that → be → Kansas
Music acts played throughout the game and there was a light show in the third quarter.
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acts → play → quarter
It gave UK fans a flavour of college football, but it lacked the pomp and circumstance of regular games in the US.
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it → give → US
There were fewer band members and cheerleaders than normal, and the crowd was not as loud as during ASU home games – they averaged 54,000 last season.
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they → be → 54,000
Both teams took 105 players (or student-athletes), 90% of which did not have a passport before this trip.
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% → take → trip
Many fans and members of the coaches' families also visited London for the first time, and ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham said they had "an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives".
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they → visit → lives
Kansas head coach Lance Leipold added that the hospitality was outstanding, while the hotel and practice facility "was a win".
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hotel → add → ?
Both teams are part of the Big 12 Conference, whose commissioner Brett Yormark said: "It exceeded my expectations, from the crowd to the logistics to how the local community has embraced us.
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community → say → us
It's been fantastic, so we want more."
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we → want → more
UJC organisers have signed an exclusive multi-year deal with Wembley, and Yormark says other Big 12 colleges are interested in playing in London.
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colleges → sign → London
Big 12 teams also played two games in Dublin over the past 13 months, and the conference could expand to another international market.
uncertain
conference → play → market
Yormark said: "There's not a two-week period where I don't get a call to say 'take some of your product to this country or that country', so we're exploring that right now."
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we → say → that
He said there will be an announcement about next year's London game "within the next month or two".
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He → say → month
That will give UK fans plenty of time to swot up on the next two teams who will make their presence known across the pond.
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presence → give → pond
The Aporia
