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Updated Aug. 27, 2025, at 6:06 p.m.
For the first time since 2018, Harvard is set to face off against Yale at Fenway Park in the 142nd playing of The Game on Nov. 21, 2026, opting not to hold its next home game on campus.
Next year’s football matchup will mark the second time since 1894 that The Game is played in neither Harvard Stadium nor New Haven, and the second time the game has been played at Fenway Park. In 2018, Fenway Park was used due to restoration work at Harvard Stadium.
“Competing in such a historic Boston sports venue adds new energy and meaning to one of the greatest rivalries in college athletics,” athletic director Erin McDermott wrote in a press release on Wednesday. “This setting celebrates both tradition and innovation, and we’re thrilled that the Harvard community will share in this remarkable experience, made possible through the leadership at Fenway Park.”
In a statement, Harvard Athletics spokesperson Imry Halevi wrote that hosting The Game at Fenway is intended to put athletes on a bigger stage and expand The Game’s potential viewership.
“Bringing The Game to Fenway Park offers a unique experience for our fans and student-athletes, and provides a chance to celebrate tradition in an iconic Boston venue,” Halevi wrote.
Halevi wrote that the decision to host The Game at Fenway Park was not related to conditions at Harvard Stadium. Harvard Athletics is already working with the College and Dean of Students Office to coordinate the off-campus game, according to Halevi, who did not directly answer a question about tailgating plans outside Fenway. He wrote that information about tickets and tailgating would be released in spring 2026.
Halevi declined to comment on the cost of holding The Game at Fenway instead of in Allston.
Since 1914, The Game has only been played outside of Harvard Stadium and the Yale Bowl once — at Fenway Park in 2018. By 2026, the Havard/Yale rivalry will span over 150 years and 142 matchups.
But Harvard has lately been on a losing streak, with its last victory over Yale in 2021. This year’s Game will be played in New Haven.
In 2018, the 135th edition of the rivalry, the Crimson defeated the Bulldogs 45–27 with 34,675 in attendance to snap a two-year losing skid against its archrival.
“We are excited as a program to play in such a historic venue and look forward to bringing the entire Harvard community together in Fenway Park for The Game in 2026,” head coach Andrew Aurich said in an announcement.
Fenway Park’s storied history began with none other than the Crimson baseball team. The Boston Red Sox defeated the Crimson 2–0 on Apr. 9, 1912 in an exhibition game, kickstarting the venue’s ascent to becoming a cornerstone of baseball culture.
Since the NHL hosted its outdoor classic in 2010 at Fenway Park, both of Harvard’s hockey squads have made appearances at the historic site. In 2012, the men’s team fell 2–0 to Union. Meanwhile, the women’s team has made two appearances on the ice at the ballpark: against Boston College in 2017 and Quinnipiac in 2023.
For the first time in six years, Harvard baseball returned to Fenway for the Baseball Beanpot final, narrowly falling to Northeastern.
“Fenway Park was built for moments that stand the test of time, and few traditions in American sports carry the weight and history of Harvard-Yale,” President & CEO of the Red Sox Sam Kennedy said.
Having lost three straight games against the Bulldogs, the back-to-back defending Ivy League champion is looking to break its slide against Yale. The Crimson kicks off its 2025 campaign at Stetson on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m., streaming on ESPN+.
—Staff writer Praveen Kumar can be reached at praveen.kumar@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @praveen4560k.
—Staff writer Elyse C. Goncalves can be reached at elyse.goncalves@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @e1ysegoncalves.
—Staff writer Akshaya Ravi can be reached at akshaya.ravi@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @akshayaravi22.
