Ohio Stadium is getting a noticeable makeover for the 2026 season, and Buckeyes fans heading to Saturday’s opener against Ball State will be the first to see plenty of it in person.
Ohio State rolled out the details at a press conference and open house last week, outlining a wave of upgrades that touch nearly every part of the fan experience at the Horseshoe. The list includes a new FieldTurf surface, a new video board above the north end zone, field level suites and chairback seating behind the south end zone, stronger WiFi, and faster entry through expanded facial authentication.
The game against Ball State kicks off Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network, and it will also come with a tribute that’s been added to the stadium’s facade. Fans will see a new sign honoring former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel for his accomplishments.
It will sit next to the existing Woody Hayes sign in the southeast corner on the facade of C-deck. Paul Brown has a similar sign in the southwest corner.
The premium seating changes are a big part of the renovation. The field level suites are reportedly priced at $150,000 for the season, while the club seating directly above them is reportedly $6,000 per seat per season. Those seats come with access to the new 1922 Club on the east side of the stadium.
Not every change is happening at once. Ohio State plans to replace the larger video board above the south end zone after the 2026 season.
On the technology side, the stadium is taking a major step forward. Ohio State said Ohio Stadium will move to Juniper Mist Wi-Fi 7 powered by artificial intelligence, with the network growing from about 1,800 access points to more than 2,000. The school called it the largest deployment of its kind in a U.S. stadium.
Ticketing is changing too. Ohio State is expanding its Express Entry program with Wicket, making the Buckeyes just the second university nationally to use facial authentication for ticketing at scale.
The program, which worked in premium areas and for students in 2025, will now reach certain public gates in 2026. According to Assistant AD for Ticketing Kate Nushart, a fan with four season tickets who enrolls can be recognized at the gate and walk through with the other three ticket holders without having to scan each ticket.
The school is also leaning harder into mobile ticketing protection. Dynamic barcodes will appear in ticket accounts within 48 hours of an event through Ticketmaster’s “in-app” technology, though fans can still add tickets to a mobile wallet before that window for easier entry.
Safety and traffic flow are getting attention as well. Ohio State Police will use new traffic barriers around Ohio Stadium, including along the Woody Hayes Bridge.
The barriers include a full gate closure that will be staffed to improve security checkpoints and help keep vehicles away from large crowds. OSU Deputy Chief of Police Alan Horujko said access from the west on Woody Hayes Drive will stop about four hours before kickoff, a move designed to handle the heavy pedestrian traffic between the St.
John Arena area and the stadium.
And for fans looking past the gate and into the stands, there are new options on the concession front. Levy Restaurants is bringing in Bibibop Asian Grill, with gluten-free options, along with Black Market Saloon, Chicken Salad Chick and Nothing Bundt Cakes.
The press conference was hosted by associate athletic director for communications Gary Petit and associate athletic director for event management Ericka Hoon, with Horujko, Ryan Holland and Nushart among the speakers outlining the changes.
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