The Orange Bowl has been a New Year’s tradition in South Florida since 1935, pairing blue-chip programs with warm skies and big-game storylines in Miami Gardens. Fans turn Hard Rock Stadium into a sea of school colors as marching bands, palm trees, and playoff implications all collide. It is one of the sport’s signature New Year’s Six showcases, unmissable for any football fan. Lock in your Orange Bowl tickets now at Event Tickets Center and get ready for Miami’s marquee bowl stage!
The Orange Bowl 2026 steps into a bigger spotlight as a College Football Playoff quarterfinal, kicking off on Jan. 1, 2026, at noon Eastern. The matchup features the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders taking on the winner of the first-round showdown between Oregon and James Madison. The Orange Bowl halftime show has become a headline in its own right, with recent acts like country star Nate Smith and Walk the Moon underscoring the game’s entertainment pedigree; the specific 2026 halftime lineup has not yet been announced, but history suggests a big-stage performance.
Kickoff is scheduled for noon Eastern on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. The game anchors a New Year’s tripleheader of CFP quarterfinals, so fans can stack an entire day around the action in Miami Gardens before the Rose and Sugar bowls follow later in the afternoon and evening. Around the matchup, the Orange Bowl Committee typically builds a full bowl-week calendar with pep rallies, fan fest activities, and community events, giving travelers and locals plenty to do before the teams finally kick off under the South Florida sun.
If you have ever asked yourself where is the Orange Bowl, the answer is Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, a modern, canopy-covered venue that has hosted the game since the mid-1990s. The stadium’s football capacity sits in the mid-60,000s, with an open field and four massive video boards framed by a roof structure that shades most seating while leaving the playing surface open to the elements. A detailed Hard Rock Stadium seating chart maps out lower-bowl sideline views close to the bands, 200-level club sections with lounge access and weather-protected seating, and upper-deck angles that showcase the full field and the bowl game pageantry, helping fans select sightlines that match their preferred viewing style for a CFP showdown.
The next Orange Bowl will send a contender one step closer to the national championship and write another chapter in a game that has shaped college football for generations.  From the pregame festivities and the marching bands to the late-game drives that can flip the entire playoff bracket, every moment at Hard Rock Stadium feels amplified on New Year’s Day. If the Orange Bowl is on your bucket list, this is the year to turn plans into action. Grab your Orange Bowl tickets at Event Tickets Center today and start 2026 with playoff football under the Miami sun!
