College football is enormous — packed stadiums, televised weekends and future pros forged in front of tens of thousands. That spectacle is coming to London in 2026 for the inaugural Union Jack Classic, when the Arizona State Sun Devils take on the Kansas Jayhawks at Wembley Stadium.
Sky Sports spent time in Tempe in September to see why ASU was chosen to represent American college football overseas. After a roughly 10-hour flight from London we arrived to warm evening weather and met the three men who have driven the project: Brian Dubiski, Thomas Hensey and Rob Yowell. Their aim is to bring an authentic college-football atmosphere to a global audience.
Why Arizona State? Organisers wanted a program that represents size, tradition and broad appeal. ASU fits: a sprawling university (more than 160,000 students in 2025), a long football history dating back to 1897, strong innovation credentials and a dedicated fan base. If college football is going to make waves internationally, the Sun Devils are a persuasive choice.
We toured Mountain America Stadium, a 54,000-seat bowl set against nearby mountains. While 54,000 would be a massive crowd for many sports arenas, it’s a mid-sized college crowd — several U.S. programs play in stadiums with capacities north of 100,000. On game days roughly 12,000 seats are reserved for students in the “Inferno” section: the simple instructions there are wear gold, shout loudly and create energy.
ASU’s facilities reveal the scale of college sport: a roster topping 100 players, a huge athletes’ cafeteria, top-tier weight rooms, recreational spaces like a pool and gaming areas, and large meeting halls for team and position meetings. The Sun Devils Hall of Fame underlines the program’s reach — alumni include NFL pass-rusher Terrell Suggs, NBA star James Harden, golfers Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson, and Olympic swimmer Leon Marchand.
Athletics is central to campus life: ASU fields 26 varsity sports, claims 165 national championships across programs and counts about 60 Olympic medals among its former athletes. A ticket often does more than buy a seat — it helps fund scholarships and sustain the programs that produce those champions.
Head coach Kenny Dillingham, a 35-year-old Phoenix native who became ASU’s head coach in 2023, says the Wembley trip is about more than one game. For many players, it will be their first time abroad; for recruits it’s a selling point. Dillingham hopes the experience will build memories, boost recruiting and encourage players to remain in Tempe rather than transfer or jump early to the NFL.
A planned tailgate during our visit was wiped out by what organisers described as the worst storm Arizona had seen in years, briefly postponing a matchup with No. 24 TCU. Organisers confirmed that signature elements such as the “Sun Devil Walk” — where the team, mascot Sparky, the Spirit Squad and marching band parade to the stadium — will be recreated at Wembley.
When the weather cleared, Mountain America Stadium came alive for a Friday-night blackout game (students wore black in place of gold). ASU rallied from a 17-0 deficit to win 27-24 in a charged environment. Quarterback Sam Leavitt and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson led the comeback; Tyson finished with eight catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns and is being talked about as a potential top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The victory lifted ASU to 21st in the rankings and later 20th while keeping Big 12 title hopes alive.
When the Sun Devils land at Wembley in September 2026, they’ll bring tradition, depth and a team on the rise. Tickets for the inaugural Union Jack Classic at Wembley Stadium on September 19, 2026, are now on sale.