The Jaguars’ 2026 season opener comes with more than kickoff logistics. Jacksonville will host the Cleveland Browns at 1 p.m. Sunday at EverBank Stadium, and the team is asking fans to plan ahead as the Stadium of the Future renovation changes the game-day experience downtown.
Parking and traffic will look a lot like last season, in part because the renovation has reduced EverBank Stadium’s capacity by 27,000 seats. Parking lots open four hours before kickoff, and the Jaguars are urging fans to arrive early and have their mobile parking pass downloaded and saved before reaching their assigned lot.
Leaving the stadium could take a little longer, too. Construction on the Main Street bridge will leave only one lane open southbound, while fans headed west may be redirected toward the Acosta Bridge to speed up their exit. Rideshare users are being told to meet on the west side of the stadium on Beaver Street near Lot Z, and the Jaguars are encouraging guests to leave from the west side for the most direct route to drivers.
Sunday’s game also carries a special ceremony focus. The Jaguars are asking fans to be in their seats early for the national anthem and pregame programming because the matchup is the team’s 9/11 Remembrance game, marking 25 years since the terror attacks.
Yoshihanaa, a native Floridian and semifinalist on NBC’s “The Voice,” will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which will be signed by Antony Pletenets, a student from the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. Sgt. 1st Class Trevaris Ross, a Jacksonville native who has served in the Army for 17 years, will serve as the Bell Ringer, and Electrician’s Mate Senior Chief (Submarines) Trent Parrish will be honored as the Veteran of the Game. Parrish completed six deployments, served aboard the USS Wyoming in Kings Bay, Georgia, and retired from the Navy in 2021.
The team will also continue a long-running tradition during the 9/11 Remembrance game. The Jaguars were the first NFL team to host a Naturalization Oath of Allegiance Ceremony in a game, and this year’s event will welcome 100 applicants for citizenship, including six active-duty U.S. military members, from 52 different countries ranging from Afghanistan to Vietnam. Jaguars owner Shad Khan, a naturalized citizen himself, will greet the new Americans on the field after the oath.
Inside the stadium, the renovation is already reshaping what fans see. The upper bowl, lower corners and standing-room-only areas - the Spa Deck and Sky Patio - will be closed this season, leaving capacity at 42,500. The team says that setup will create a more intimate feel, with every seat closer to the field.
Fans entering the stadium will be directed to the main concourse, which offers full 360-degree circulation. New Grand Staircases 2 and 3 in the North End join the previously opened Grand Staircase at Gate 1, while Ramps 2 and 3 and the South End Zone escalators are also open. Some gate entries have changed, and the Jaguars want ticket holders to check the recommended gate on their mobile ticket to find the quickest route to their seat.
Gate 2 and the West Club gate have been merged into one access point, and while most tickets can enter through any gate, the East Club gate remains restricted to Club or Suite ticket holders. Mobility assistance will be available near each entry gate, and guests are being told to exit through the gate closest to their transportation.
Weather is part of the equation, too. Fans should expect Florida heat and a chance of rain, but umbrellas are prohibited, so the Jaguars are telling people to bring a poncho if needed.
To help with the heat, each ticket holder may bring two commercially branded, factory-sealed plastic water bottles of 16.9 ounces or less. Refillable water stations are available at stadium fountains, and complimentary cups can be picked up at guest services booths.
The Jaguars also point fans to a JTA cooling bus near Gate 1 by Grand Staircase One, along with shaded space in the South End Zone and Daily’s Place. Guest Services booths are located on the main concourse at Section 123, Section 144, Section 102 and, new this year, near Ramp 3 at Section 130, plus at Gallagher Club East and West.
A few other stadium rules remain in force. The NFL’s clear bag policy applies, cash is not accepted anywhere in the stadium, and all fixed points of sale will offer tap or scan payment options, including Apple, Google and Samsung Pay. Fans are also being reminded that EverBank Stadium is a no drone zone.
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