Auburn Athletics introduces football gameday enhancements for 2026 season

AUBURN, Ala.—Auburn Athletics is continuing to elevate college football’s preeminent gameday experience in 2026, with a series of enhancements in and around Jordan-Hare Stadium designed to improve the experience for the Auburn Family.

Auburn is introducing new concessions offerings throughout Jordan-Hare Stadium, expanding the south student concourse, introducing the Tiger Walk Plaza and associated pregame experiences, refreshing in-venue production and adding new gameday experiences across campus and at Plainsman Park.

The largest upgrade taking place this season is the ongoing transformation of the north end zone through the start of the Jordan-Hare North Project. With construction now underway, fans will experience significant changes to the interior of Jordan-Hare Stadium and how they move throughout the venue. Auburn appreciates the patience and understanding of the Auburn Family as adjustments are made to the gameday environment, and we ask that you “Pardon Our Progress” throughout the term of construction. The work is part of a long-term vision designed to improve the experience inside and around Jordan-Hare Stadium and create new opportunities for fans to enjoy Auburn football. 

“The Auburn Family continues to show up for our student-athletes in an incredible way, and we have a responsibility to keep investing in an experience that makes our fans want to be in Jordan-Hare Stadium every Saturday,” Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Revenue Officer Rhett Hobart said. “From expanding the south concourse and continuing to improve concessions throughout the stadium to unlocking the full potential of the intelligent lighting system upgraded last year and enhancing entertainment and pregame experiences, each of these investments is focused on making gameday easier, more enjoyable and uniquely Auburn.

“As the Jordan-Hare North Project takes shape, there will be some temporary challenges, including changes to pedestrian traffic, tailgating areas and other familiar gameday routines around the stadium. We know that will require some adjustment, but it is all part of our progress toward creating the best possible environment for the Auburn Family, both today and for generations to come.”

Some of the 2026 gameday enhancements and added amenities include:

Tiger Walk & Pregame Experience

Auburn will introduce new and expanded fan experiences leading up to one of college football’s most iconic traditions, Tiger Walk. Centered around the new Tiger Walk Plaza, the enhanced pregame experience will feature live music, a new video board and a new home for the Tiger Tailgate Show, creating additional energy and entertainment as fans gather before kickoff.

• Tiger Walk Plaza: The new gameday destination will feature a mobile video board, live music from local and regional performers and a new home for the Tiger Tailgate Show. The video board will be located adjacent to the Tiger Tailgate Show stage and will feature Auburn Gameday Live on WarEagle+, including the live video stream of the Tiger Tailgate Show and additional pregame coverage leading up to kickoff.
• Live Music: Live performances will begin prior to Tiger Walk near the Plainsman Park entrance and Frank Thomas statue, adding entertainment and energy as fans gather along the route and in Tiger Walk Plaza to await the start of Tiger Walk. 
• New Tiger Walk Time: Beginning in 2026, Tiger Walk will take place 2.5 hours before kickoff, giving fans additional time to enjoy Tiger Walk Plaza and other pregame activities before entering Jordan-Hare Stadium.
• Expanded Food Truck Offerings: Food trucks will be available at additional locations across campus and around Tiger Walk Plaza, including within the Home Plate Tailgate and the home plate concourse and right field entry at Plainsman Park, as well as near Nichols Lawn and Thach Concourse. The expanded footprint will provide additional food options near several of Auburn’s most popular pregame gathering areas.

Plainsman Park

Plainsman Park will continue to serve as a pregame destination for Auburn football fans in 2026, expanding the Tiger Walk Plaza experience down the length of Tiger Walk along Donahue Drive. Fans will have additional opportunities to watch college football, purchase food and beverages and enjoy the gameday atmosphere before making the short walk to Jordan-Hare Stadium. Plainsman Park will open at 10 a.m. CT for evening and afternoon games and 7:30 a.m. CT for morning games, giving fans a place to gather and enjoy college football throughout the day.

• College Football Red Zone Experience: The Plainsman Park videoboard will provide a College Football Red Zone-like viewing experience, allowing fans to follow action from around the country before and during Auburn football games. 
• Plainsman Patio: Plainsman Patio will return in 2026, providing fans a shaded destination down the right field line of Plainsman Park to listen to the Tiger Tailgate Show, eat and watch college football throughout the day. Food and beverage offerings will include Ben’s Pretzels, Chick-fil-A and the full-service Plainsman Patio Fast Flight Market and Brew Cave.
• Tiger Walk Tailgate Suites: The Tiger Walk Tailgate Suites will return in 2026, offering fans a premium, private setting in the heart of Auburn’s iconic pregame tradition.
• 984 Club Tailgate: The 984 Club Tailgate will return to Plainsman Park in 2026, offering fans an all-inclusive pregame experience with food and beverages in a reserved space overlooking the Tiger Walk route. Tickets are available for purchase, providing fans another way to make Plainsman Park part of their football gameday experience.

Inside Jordan-Hare Stadium: Fan Experience

Auburn Athletics continued its investment in the in-venue experience at Jordan-Hare Stadium this offseason, building upon technology enhancements made in recent seasons while preserving the traditions that make gameday on the Plains unique. Fans will see refreshed content and expanded use of lighting, lasers and other production elements throughout the 2026 season.

• Expanded Intelligent Lighting and Laser Technology: Building upon last season’s significant upgrade to Jordan-Hare Stadium’s intelligent lighting system, Auburn has expanded both the system and its integration of lighting, lasers and visual effects to create a more immersive in-venue experience throughout gameday.
• Refreshed Gameday Experience: Every element of Auburn’s in-venue presentation has been reviewed and refreshed for 2026, including video, graphics, music and entertainment elements, while maintaining the traditions and moments that make an Auburn football Saturday unique.
• Expanded South Concourse: Auburn Athletics partnered with Auburn University Student Affairs this offseason to make one of the most significant physical changes to the south student concourse in recent years. The project creates more room for students to move and gather while also providing opportunities to expand concessions and beverage service in the area. The student section concourse on the south side of Jordan-Hare Stadium has been expanded by nearly 20 feet, providing significantly more space and improving east-to-west pedestrian flow behind the south end zone.
• Meet Creedo: Auburn Athletics is adding a new way for fans to get answers and get help this season. Creedo is an AI-powered digital concierge on AuburnTigers.com and in the official Auburn Athletics app, built to support the Auburn Family before, during and after events. Ask Creedo about tickets, parking, venue policies, accessibility, lost and found and other common gameday questions and get an immediate response. On gamedays, fans can also flag issues in real time - a spill, a maintenance need, a safety concern - and those reports go straight to the appropriate Auburn Athletics staff member. When a positive experience occurs, fans can use “Share a Win” to call out standout service or a moment worth celebrating. Creedo is powered by Relayed, a fan engagement and incident management platform. On AuburnTigers.com, look for the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the page and also in the Auburn Tigers app on gamedays.

Inside Jordan-Hare Stadium: Concessions

Auburn’s multi-year investment in the Jordan-Hare Stadium concessions experience will continue in 2026 with additional Fast Flight locations, two new Fast Flight concepts and expanded menu offerings throughout the stadium. In the last three years, more than $4 million has been invested in concessions infrastructure, with a focus on increasing speed and efficiency while providing fans with more food and beverage choices.

More than 80 percent of Jordan-Hare Stadium concession stands will now operate under the Fast Flight Grab-N-Go model, allowing fans to select food and beverages before proceeding directly to self-checkout. The model also allows more gameday staff to focus on food preparation and keeping stands stocked, helping fans spend less time in line and more time in their seats.

• Fast Flight Expansion: New Fast Flight locations will be introduced at Sections 5, 7, 12, 16, 24 and 39, further expanding Grab-N-Go access throughout Jordan-Hare Stadium.
  The new Fast Flight location at Section 39 will feature a redesigned queue configuration that allows fans to move through the interior footprint of the stand rather than lines extending into the north concourse. The new design will help improve pedestrian flow in an area that will also be impacted by Jordan-Hare North construction.
• Fast Flight Grill: The Fast Flight concept will continue to evolve with the introduction of Fast Flight Grill at Section 5, combining the speed and convenience of Fast Flight with an expanded menu featuring hamburgers and other traditional gameday fare.
• Fast Flight Chicken Kitchen: Auburn will also introduce Fast Flight Chicken Kitchen locations at Sections 12 and 16, featuring chicken tenders and fries along with other standard Fast Flight offerings.
• New Concessions Offerings: Fans will find an expanded variety of food options throughout Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2026, including açaí bowls, Chicken Salad Chick, Shake On It ice cream and Philly Connection, along with the return of classic stadium nachos at concession stands stadium-wide. The new offerings are part of Auburn’s continued effort to provide fans with greater variety and more options throughout the stadium.
  The continued investment to introduce Fast Flight stands across Jordan-Hare Stadium resulted in an average of 20,000 additional concession transactions per game during the 2025 season compared to before the expansion of the model. Auburn will build upon that success in 2026 with additional locations, new concepts and expanded food offerings throughout Jordan-Hare Stadium.
• New Student Section Concessions: The expanded south concourse has created opportunities for additional concessions points of sale and an expanded variety of food and beverage options specifically serving Auburn students.

Inside Jordan-Hare Stadium: Team Shop

Auburn fans will have additional opportunities to purchase official merchandise throughout gameday with a new retail partner and an expanded collection of team shop locations. The new retail footprint includes upgraded spaces inside Jordan-Hare Stadium as well as locations positioned along several of the primary pedestrian routes surrounding the stadium.

• New In-Stadium Team Shops: New walk-in retail spaces will be in the northwest and northeast corners of Jordan-Hare Stadium, providing fans with a more traditional retail shopping experience inside the venue.
• Expanded Gameday Retail: Additional team shop locations will be available outside Jordan-Hare Stadium at Tiger Walk, on Heisman Drive and on North Donahue Drive near Nichols Lawn, expanding merchandise access for fans before they enter the stadium.

Jordan-Hare North Project

The Jordan-Hare North Project represents the largest and most significant capital project in the history of Auburn Athletics and Jordan-Hare Stadium. The seven-level, approximately 300,000-square-foot facility, which broke ground in 2026 and is scheduled for completion in spring 2029, will transform the north end of the stadium while maintaining Jordan-Hare’s capacity of more than 88,000.

While the end result will dramatically enhance Jordan-Hare Stadium, construction will require several temporary adjustments to familiar gameday routines over the next several seasons. Auburn fans will be asked to “pardon our progress” as pedestrian routes, tailgating areas and other operations are adjusted around the construction site.

• Pedestrian Routes: Fans accustomed to walking along Heisman Drive on the north side of the stadium will not be able to do so during construction. Fans moving between the east and west sides of Jordan-Hare Stadium outside the venue should utilize Thach Concourse. Inside Jordan-Hare Stadium, the north concourse will remain open for east-west pedestrian traffic, although areas near the northeast and northwest corners will be narrower due to construction.
• South Stadium Operations: The loss of the north end zone parking lot will also impact operations south of Jordan-Hare Stadium, primarily around Gate 9. Visiting team buses will temporarily drop off at Gate 8.5, which may create additional congestion in the area before games. Fans are encouraged to seek alternate pedestrian routes to access Campus Green and the Jordan-Hare Stadium east gates, such as south of Plainsman Park. 
• Tailgating: Traditional tailgating and gathering areas around the north side of Jordan-Hare Stadium, including portions of the North Lawn, will also be impacted during construction. Auburn appreciates the patience and understanding of the Auburn Family as these temporary adjustments are made as part of the progress toward creating an even better long-term gameday experience.

Gameday Website

With new amenities throughout Jordan-Hare Stadium and construction changing some familiar routes around the venue, fans are encouraged to plan before arriving on campus. Auburn’s gameday website will serve as the central destination for information fans need throughout the 2026 season.

AuburnTigers.com/gameday will provide updated information on parking, pedestrian routes, stadium entry, concessions, tailgating and other gameday operations. The site will also feature an interactive, multi-level map of campus and Jordan-Hare Stadium, including the ability to search for specific concessions offerings and locate amenities throughout the venue.

Auburn opens its 2026 home schedule Saturday, Sept. 12 against Southern Miss in Kickoff on the Plains. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. CT.