COLUMBIA, Mo. – With the highly anticipated 2026 Mizzou football season kicking off Thursday at 7 p.m., Mizzou Athletics has announced a series of fan experience enhancements and improvements alongside key operations updates for the year.
Thursday’s Kickoff in CoMo game is sold out, but tickets may be available via Ticketmaster Verified Resale. Nine-time Grammy Award winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and University of Missouri alum Sheryl Crow will sing the National Anthem prior to the game.
Due to normal campus weekday operations, parking lots for Thursday’s home opener will open at 2 p.m. For all other home games, parking lots will open at 7 a.m. on game day. Truman’s Landing will open for RVs at 6 p.m. the day prior to the game.
Fan Experience
Tiger Fan Zone returns to the lawn on Tiger Avenue across from Tiger Avenue Parking Structure just north of the traffic circle. Opening three-and-a-half hours prior to kickoff each game day, the Tiger Fan Zone features:
- A large-screen TV showing games from around the country
- Food trucks and seating
- Beer sales
- Tiger Team Store merchandise sales
- MU Health Care Kids Zone
- Coca-Cola Student Tailgate
Additional fan experience enhancements include:
- Spotlights on the north and south videoboards to add to lighting effects inside the stadium
- The return of a north videoboard and a sound system utilizing state-of-the-art EAW Anya Concentric Summation Array technology
- The ability to feature 360-degree fireworks displays for key games
- A new wireless camera in the in-game production that will allow for additional exciting elements on the videoboard
- A new promotion sponsored by Champs Chicken, where fans are encouraged to build an atmosphere to force false starts by the opponent and earn rewards
- Continued enhancements to the in-game script designed to help maintain the energy even during breaks in play
Pageantry
Tiger Walk remains two-and-a-half hours prior to kickoff. Fans can greet the team when it arrives via bus at Lot C off South Providence and cheer as it walks down the hill into the locker room.
With North End Zone construction complete, Big Mo will return to the north concourse.
Due to a reduced footprint around the field following the completion of the North End Zone, Truman’s Taxi will no longer enter the stadium. It will continue to lead the band from the band practice field to the stadium and the team on Tiger Walk, and it will then stage outside Gate 4E for pictures.
New Concessions & New Team Store
Mizzou Athletics has partnered with two new vendors this athletics season to continue to build on the fan and guest experience.
Sodexo Live! now manages concessions and hospitality at all Mizzou venues alongside Columbia-based Upper Crust Food Service. In addition to added technology designed to speed up service and the conversion of some traditional concessions stands to grab-and-gos, the concessions lineup at Memorial Stadium features new offerings including hand-breaded Southern-style Tiger Tenders, a Kansas City Burnt End Hot Dog and two new Stack Burgers, giving fans more bold and satisfying options to enjoy throughout the game.
The Tiger Team Store, featuring a brand-new brick-and-mortar location on the northeast side of Memorial Stadium, is now operated by Follett Higher Education Group. The Tiger Team Store holds regular business hours of 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Fifteen minutes before gates open on football game days, the exterior doors will close and entry to Tiger Team Store will be for game ticketholders via the north concourse.
Parking & Tailgating
Fans are encouraged to allow ample time to arrive on campus, as road construction along I-70 could impact traffic flow across the state. Five construction projects are underway along I-70, and travel via the interstate will require extra time.
For more information, visit www.modot.org/improvei70.
Parking passes are sold on a season-long basis and are sold out. Fans can purchase single-game parking in PS7 at THIS LINK. Please note, PS7 will not be available for game day parking for the home opener due to campus operations.
REVELxp, the official full-service tailgate partner of Mizzou Athletics, offers fans a turnkey tailgate experience that is set up and ready when your group arrives. Fans purchasing a REVELxp tailgate will now enjoy an exclusive setup location along Stadium Boulevard just north of Hearnes Center, providing an exciting experience in the heart of the game day action. For additional information, visit THIS LINK.
Rideshare drop-off and pick-up is located in Lot R. After being dropped off, fans will be able to cross Research Park Drive and ride the pregame MO-X shuttle to Memorial Stadium.
Entry to Stadium
Gates to Memorial Stadium will open two hours prior to kickoff each week.
To expedite entry into Memorial Stadium, and with capacity crowds expected all season long, fans are strongly encouraged to enter the stadium through gates where their seats are located or via Gate 1. Golf cart shuttles will be available to help transport fans from east side parking to west side seats and vice versa.
Tickets to Mizzou Athletics events are digital, and fans should download tickets and parking to their digital wallets prior to arriving on campus.
Ticket resolution on football game day is located at the Memorial Stadium Ticket Offices at Gate 1 and at the Mizzou Arena Ticket Office.
Hill Operations
As part of the Memorial Stadium Centennial Project, The Hill behind the north end zone has been reconfigured and is smaller than previous seasons. With the area’s reduced size and capacity limitations, fans will be required to have a ticket for The Hill to sit in the general admission area. Fans who purchase a Hill ticket must present their ticket when they arrive at The Hill entrance, and they will then receive a wristband that must be worn while accessing The Hill.
For more information on football game days, visit www.MUTigers.com/gameday.