The Gasparilla Bowl is Friday, Dec. 18, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium on ESPN. Teams are picked Dec. 6, and tickets go on sale after that.

The 2026 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl kicks off at 2:30 p.m. ET Friday, Dec. 18, at Raymond James Stadium. The matchup is set on Selection Day, Dec. 6, and tickets go on sale after that.

Last checked Oct. 14, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Sources: the bowl’s 2026 date announcement of June 3, 2026, its ticket page and Inshore Slam page, and Raymond James Stadium’s parking and policies pages.

ESPN Events owns and runs the game. This year it lands on a Friday afternoon, a week before Christmas.

Know before you go

  • When: 2:30 p.m. ET Friday, Dec. 18, 2026
  • Where: Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa
  • TV: ESPN
  • Teams: announced Sunday, Dec. 6
  • Tickets: on sale in December, after Selection Day
  • Bags: none. The stadium has a no-bag policy for all events.

Is it on this year?

Yes. The bowl announced on June 3 that it returns to Raymond James Stadium on Friday, Dec. 18, at 2:30 p.m. ET, live on ESPN.

Who plays

The two teams come from a pool that includes the Southeastern Conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference and the American Conference, the bowl says. They are picked on Selection Day, Sunday, Dec. 6. Until then, the bowl’s ticket page lists neither team. We will add the matchup here that weekend.

Recent games, from the bowl’s own results:

Game Result
Dec. 19, 2025 NC State 31, Memphis 7
2024 Florida 33, Tulane 8

In 2025 NC State led 31-7 at halftime, a bowl record for first-half points, and held Memphis to its second-lowest total in the game’s history. Linebacker Caden Fordham, with 13 tackles and a 55-yard interception return, became the first defensive MVP in Gasparilla Bowl history.

Tickets

  • Single-game tickets go on sale in December, after the teams are announced on Dec. 6, according to the bowl’s ticket page.
  • Group tickets are available now; the bowl lists Ben Salo, 813-301-6623, for group sales.
  • The bowl has not published prices for 2026. We will add them when tickets go on sale.

Buy from the bowl’s own link or the schools’ ticket offices so you know the seats are real.

Parking and getting there

  • Parking: Raymond James Stadium sells prepaid parking through ParkWhiz for each event, and prices vary by event. The stadium’s page also has the parking map, rideshare drop-off and pick-up points, and RV and bus parking.
  • Bags: the stadium’s policies page sets a no-bag policy for all events and lists prohibited and allowed items.
  • Traffic: a 2:30 p.m. kickoff on a Friday puts arrival in the middle of the workday, and Dec. 18 is also the end of the first semester for Hillsborough County Public Schools. Leave extra time on Dale Mabry Highway. Road work on the way is on our road construction and closures page, and the getting around page covers the main routes.

Bowl week

The bowl’s events start long before December. Its fourth annual Inshore Slam fishing tournament with Tampa Bay Waterkeeper is Friday, Oct. 16, out of the Tampa Convention Center: a catch-and-release contest for snook, redfish and trout, with boats leaving at 9 a.m. (Inshore Slam page). The bowl had not posted its December fan events when we checked.

What this means for you

Mark Dec. 6 for the matchup and the start of ticket sales, and plan for a weekday afternoon crowd at the stadium on Dec. 18. The next big date on Tampa’s calendar after the bowl is New Year’s Eve, then Children’s Gasparilla in January. More December events are on our holiday lights and Christmas events page.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 Gasparilla Bowl?

Friday, Dec. 18, 2026, with kickoff at 2:30 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. ESPN broadcasts the game, the bowl says.

Who is playing in the 2026 Gasparilla Bowl?

The teams are not known yet. They are announced on Selection Day, Sunday, Dec. 6, and come from a pool that includes the SEC, the ACC and the American Conference, the bowl says.

When do Gasparilla Bowl tickets go on sale?

Game tickets go on sale in December, after the teams are announced on Dec. 6, according to the bowl’s ticket page. Group sales are available now through the bowl.

Can I bring a bag into Raymond James Stadium?

No. Raymond James Stadium has a no-bag policy for all events, the stadium says. Check its policies page for the short list of exceptions before you go.

Who won the Gasparilla Bowl last year?

NC State beat Memphis 31-7 on Dec. 19, 2025. Linebacker Caden Fordham was the game’s MVP, the first defensive player to win the award in the bowl’s history.