Duke’s men’s soccer team is loading up for a 2026 schedule that asks plenty of the Blue Devils right away, then keeps the pressure on once ACC play arrives. The program released its slate for the upcoming season, and it comes with 17 regular-season matches, 13 of them at home, in head coach John Kerr’s 19th season.
The home-heavy setup starts with the annual John Rennie Invitational and includes conference dates at Freeman Field at Koskinen Stadium against Virginia Tech, Stanford, Virginia and North Carolina. Duke also has a 2025 backdrop that still looks fresh: a run to the third round of the NCAA Tournament after winning at home in the opening round and then knocking off No. 3 seed Princeton on the road in round two.
This year’s schedule is packed with postseason-caliber opponents. Ten of Duke’s 2026 foes reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament, and six of those teams earned national seeds in last year’s bracket.
The Blue Devils begin preseason practice on Tuesday, Aug. 4, and will use three exhibitions to get ready for the real thing. Two of those tune-ups come in Durham, with UNCW visiting on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 5 p.m. and UNCA coming to town on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. Duke then closes the exhibition slate on the road at JMU on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 6 p.m.
Once the matches count, Duke opens with four straight at Freeman Field at Koskinen Stadium. Seton Hall comes in first on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m., followed by Cal Baptist on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 3:30 p.m.
Furman arrives on Aug. 27, and Georgetown visits on Aug. 30.
September brings the first road trip and the start of conference play, with Duke heading to Wake Forest on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. The Blue Devils stay away from Durham for one more ACC test at NC State on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. Then comes a five-game homestand that starts with Queens on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m., continues with Virginia Tech on Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m., and finishes the month with Elon on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.
October keeps the schedule moving quickly. Stanford comes to Durham on Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m., and Wofford follows on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
Duke then leaves North Carolina for the first time in the regular season, traveling to SMU on Oct. 10 before returning home for Greensboro College on Oct. 13.
Virginia visits on Oct. 16, Howard on Oct. 20, and North Carolina on Oct. 23, with another ACC road game at Notre Dame closing out the month on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.
2026 Men’s Soccer Schedule
Aug. 4 vs. UNCW (5 p.m.)
Aug. 11 vs. UNCA (6 p.m.)
Aug. 15 at JMU (6 p.m.)
Aug. 20 vs.
Seton Hall (8 p.m.)
Aug. 23 vs.
Cal Baptist (3:30 p.m.)
Aug. 27 vs.
Furman (7 p.m.)
Aug. 30 vs.
Georgetown (6 p.m.)
Sept. 5 at Wake Forest (7 p.m.)
Sept. 10 at NC State (6 p.m.)
Sept. 15 vs.
Queens (7 p.m.)
Sept. 18 vs.
Virginia Tech (7 p.m.) *
Sept. 25 vs. Elon (7 p.m.)
Oct. 2 vs. Stanford (7 p.m.)
Oct. 6 vs.
Wofford (7 p.m.)
Oct. 10 at SMU (6 or 7 p.m.)
Oct. 13 vs.
Greensboro College (7 p.m.)
Oct. 16 vs.
Virginia (7 p.m.) *
Oct. 20 vs. Howard (7 p.m.)
Oct. 23 vs. North Carolina (7 p.m.)
Oct. 30 at Notre Dame (7 p.m.)
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