College football is returning in spectacular fashion.
Two of the sport’s most recognizable programs will collide under the lights at one of the most iconic stadiums in American football when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face the Wisconsin Badgers on Sunday, September 6, 2026.
And this will not be an ordinary season opener.
Notre Dame and Wisconsin will meet at Lambeau Field in Green Bay as part of the 2026 Shamrock Series, giving fans a rare Sunday night college football showcase inside the legendary home of the Green Bay Packers.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CT, with the matchup nationally televised on NBC and streamed live on Peacock.
Here is everything you need to know before Notre Dame and Wisconsin take the field.
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin: Game Information
🏈 Matchup: Wisconsin Badgers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
📅 Date: Sunday, September 6, 2026
⏰ Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CT
🏟️ Location: Lambeau Field — Green Bay, Wisconsin
📺 TV Channel: NBC
📱 Streaming: Peacock
☘️ Event: 2026 Shamrock Series
🔥 Game: Season opener for Notre Dame and Wisconsin
Notre Dame will officially serve as the home team for the Shamrock Series matchup despite the game being played in Wisconsin.
How to Watch Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin on TV
Fans across the United States can watch Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin live on NBC.
The network will carry the full primetime matchup as Notre Dame opens its 2026 campaign against the Badgers.
For fans with NBC through a cable, satellite or live-TV provider, the game should be available through their local NBC affiliate.
Given the unusual Sunday kickoff and the atmosphere expected inside Lambeau Field, viewers may want to tune in early for pregame coverage and the buildup surrounding one of the most intriguing games of opening weekend.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
How to Stream Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin
Fans who prefer to watch without traditional television can stream the matchup live on Peacock.
Notre Dame and NBC officially announced that the entire 2026 Shamrock Series game will be simulcast on Peacock alongside the NBC television broadcast.
Peacock is available on a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, computers, smart TVs and supported streaming devices.
Subscription requirements apply, so fans planning to stream the game should make sure their Peacock access is ready before kickoff.
A Sunday Night College Football Showcase
One of the most unusual elements of this matchup is the date.
Notre Dame and Wisconsin will play on Sunday night, rather than the traditional college football Saturday.
The game was previously scheduled for Saturday, September 5, before being moved to Sunday, September 6.
That gives the Fighting Irish and Badgers a major national spotlight with relatively little competition from the traditional Saturday college football schedule.
And the location makes the evening even more special.
Notre Dame and Wisconsin Meet at Lambeau Field
There may not be a more recognizable football venue in the United States than Lambeau Field.
For decades, the stadium has represented the history and tradition of the Green Bay Packers.
On September 6, however, its famous field will belong to college football.
The meeting will be part of Notre Dame’s Shamrock Series, which allows the Fighting Irish to take selected home games to major venues around the country.
Notre Dame will serve as the designated home team, and remarkably, this will be the first game in Fighting Irish history played at Lambeau Field.
That alone gives the matchup historical significance.
Wisconsin, meanwhile, will have plenty of familiar support.
Green Bay is located in the Badgers’ home state, meaning the crowd could feature a fascinating mix of red and white alongside Notre Dame’s navy, green and gold.
The result should be one of the most unique atmospheres of the opening weekend.
The Notre Dame-Wisconsin Series
Despite their long histories and geographic proximity, Notre Dame and Wisconsin have not played frequently in recent decades.
The 2026 contest will be only the 18th meeting between the programs.
Notre Dame enters the matchup holding a 9-6-2 advantage in the all-time series.
The most recent meeting came on September 25, 2021 at Soldier Field in Chicago.
That afternoon belonged to the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame pulled away for a 41-13 victory, producing a dominant fourth quarter to turn what had been a competitive contest into a convincing win.
Five years later, Wisconsin finally gets another opportunity.
This time, the setting moves from Soldier Field to Lambeau Field.
A Major Opening Test for Notre Dame
Notre Dame will not have the luxury of easing into the season.
Opening against a Big Ten opponent at a neutral-site NFL stadium immediately raises the stakes.
Season openers often reveal which teams are truly prepared after months of offseason work.
Timing can still be developing.
New starters may need time to settle into their roles.
Communication mistakes can appear.
And turnovers can completely change a game before either team establishes a rhythm.
For Notre Dame, the objective will be to play clean football from the beginning.
The Fighting Irish will want to control the line of scrimmage, avoid costly mistakes and prevent Wisconsin from using the crowd and location to build early momentum.
Notre Dame also enters 2026 with a demanding schedule ahead.
After Wisconsin, the Irish return to Notre Dame Stadium to face Rice on September 12 before hosting Michigan State on September 19.
Everything begins in Green Bay.
Wisconsin Gets an Immediate Opportunity to Make a Statement
Wisconsin faces the same challenge.
There is no warm-up game.
No opportunity to work through early-season mistakes against an overmatched opponent.
The Badgers open immediately against Notre Dame on national television.
For Wisconsin, however, that also creates a tremendous opportunity.
A victory against the Fighting Irish at Lambeau Field would instantly become one of the biggest results of opening weekend and could completely change the national conversation surrounding the Badgers.
Wisconsin will officially be the neutral-site opponent, but geographically this game will feel much closer to home.
Badgers fans are expected to travel heavily to Green Bay, potentially creating the type of atmosphere normally associated with a Wisconsin home game.
The key will be turning that energy into disciplined football.
What to Watch: The Battle in the Trenches
When Notre Dame and Wisconsin meet, attention naturally turns toward physical football.
Both programs have built their identities over the years around strong offensive lines, defensive fronts and the ability to control games at the line of scrimmage.
That battle could again become decisive.
Whichever team can establish its running game should have a significant advantage.
A productive ground attack can control possession, keep the opposing defense on the field and create easier situations in the passing game.
Defensively, stopping the run will be just as important.
If either team forces its opponent into repeated third-and-long situations, the entire complexion of the game could change.
Turnovers Could Decide the Opener
Season-opening games can be unpredictable.
Even talented teams sometimes struggle with ball security and communication after months without meaningful competition.
That makes turnovers especially important.
An interception or fumble inside Lambeau Field could dramatically shift momentum.
Neither Notre Dame nor Wisconsin will want to give the opponent short fields or easy scoring opportunities.
The team that protects the football and remains disciplined should give itself the best chance to leave Green Bay with a 1-0 record.
The Lambeau Field Atmosphere
Fans attending the game can expect much more than four quarters of football.
Notre Dame’s official Shamrock Series schedule lists parking and tailgating lots opening at 2:30 p.m. CT, with Lambeau Field gates opening at 4:30 p.m. CT before the 6:30 p.m. local kickoff.
That means Green Bay will be transformed into a college football destination throughout Sunday afternoon.
Notre Dame supporters will arrive from across the country.
Wisconsin fans will make the trip north.
And two historic fan bases will come together inside one of football’s most celebrated stadiums.
It has all the ingredients of a memorable opening night.
Final Viewing Details
Make sure your Sunday night plans are ready.
🏈 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Wisconsin Badgers
📅 Sunday, September 6, 2026
⏰ 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CT
🏟️ Lambeau Field — Green Bay, Wisconsin
📺 TV: NBC
📱 Streaming: Peacock
☘️ 2026 Shamrock Series
🔥 Season Opener
Notre Dame enters Lambeau Field looking to begin another major season with a statement.
Wisconsin arrives with an opportunity to knock off one of college football’s biggest names in front of a crowd filled with Badgers supporters.
Two historic programs.
One legendary stadium.
A national television audience.
And an entire season waiting on the other side of the opening kickoff.
DON’T MISS IT — NOTRE DAME VS. WISCONSIN UNDER THE LIGHTS AT LAMBEAU FIELD! ☘️🦡🏈🔥
