NC State Makes Massive International Trip Official

The game will take place at Nilton Santos Stadium (Engenhão) in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. NC State's announcement indicated that the event is powered by a group called Athlete Advantage, as well as Brasil Sports Business. The NFL already made a footprint in South American with two games in Brazil over the last two seasons, which were deemed to be a success in terms of fan interest on the continent.

As for the logistics for the ACC, NC State and Virginia had a non-conference home-and-home scheduled, with the Wolfpack's leg being played in 2025, a game the Pack hung on to win 35-31. Virginia was scheduled to host NC State in 2026, but this game will replace it and now count toward the league standings instead of being a unique non-conference setup.

In NC State's official release, athletic director Boo Corrigan shared some of his feelings on the event and the game itself, pleased with the opportunity to take the Wolfpack to the international stage for the first time ever.

"We're excited about the opportunity to play a game in a beautiful, world-renowned city like Rio de Janeiro and to bring American football to another continent," Corrigan's statement said. "It's definitely a unique situation to play a road game versus Virginia in Brazil, but it should be an unforgettable experience."

A statement from NC State head coach Dave Doeren, who was recently announced to be returned for a 14th season in Raleigh, was also included in the announcement.

"This will be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for our team and program and will be something our guys will remember for their entire lives," Doeren's statement said. "We are looking forward to experiencing the culture of Brazil while also providing the fans in Rio an exciting football game against a great opponent."

The game is set to be televised on one of the ESPN networks, giving the Wolfpack a massive opportunity in Week 0 to take advantage of the ACC's television rating system.