For the first time in its history, the Army-Navy football game will be played in New England, according to a joint announcement about the five-year cycle that begins in 2023.
Although often played in Philadelphia — this year’s game is set for Dec. 10 at Lincoln Financial Field — the matchup won’t return to the City of Brotherly Love until 2027. Instead, it will be played in Boston, Washington, Baltimore and East Rutherford, New Jersey, just outside of New York City.
Dubbed “America’s Game,” the friendly but intense football rivalry, in which future military officers battle for supremacy on the gridiron, is a national tradition that started in 1890.
Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk and Army West Point Director of Athletics Mike Buddie jointly announced the tour of the Northeast.
The Navy will serve as the home team when Boston hosts the 2023 game, marking the first time the game has been played in New England. It will be played in conjunction with the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and the 225th anniversary of the USS Constitution’s maiden voyage.
From there, the game will call several cities home over the next five years:
- Dec. 9, 2023: Boston/Foxborough
- Dec. 14, 2024: Washington, D.C./Landover, Md.
- Dec. 13, 2025: Baltimore
- Dec. 12, 2026: New York City/East Rutherford, N.J.
- Dec. 11, 2027: Philadelphia
“We are looking forward to the pageantry and tradition to be on display for the fans in these cities while providing an opportunity to support the cadets and midshipmen,” said Buddie. “We had great interest from many regions and thank the cities who participated in the bid selection process. We cannot wait to have this game played at some incredible venues in great cities.”
Gladchuck also pointed to the benefits of sharing the tradition with more communities.
“Our destinations over the next five years provide the academies with an opportunity to share the economic impact, history and tradition of Army-Navy with a number of communities in diverse geographic areas,” he said. “We are certain that each location will present a uniquely accommodating experience for our fans and will make for an incredibly memorable event for our midshipmen and cadets.”
Army will serve as the home team when the game returns to the nation’s capital in 2024, which will also mark the 125th anniversary of the rivalry. It will be just the second time the game has been played in the D.C. region.
Baltimore’s turn hosting in 2025 will be the game’s seventh run in that city, where the two teams are 3-3. Navy will serve as the home team.
In 2026, the game moves to New York/New Jersey as part of the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Army will serve as the home team. It will be the sixth time the game has been played at the Meadowlands complex, but the 19th it has been played in New York or New Jersey — including last December.
2027 will be Philadelphia’s 91st time to host the rivalry. Navy will be the home team for that matchup.
The rivalry will be broadcast on CBS through 2028.
