Report: Iowa football will host Northern Iowa in 2026
Northern Iowa will be paid $700,000 for playing at Kinnick Stadium
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa and Northern Iowa have played 18 times in football and now a 19th game has been scheduled for the 2026 season, according to FBSchedules.com.
The report says a copy of the football contract with the University of Iowa was obtained from the University of Northern Iowa via a public records request.
According to the report, Iowa will host Northern Iowa on Sept. 19, 2026 at Kinnick Stadium.
Iowa will pay Northern Iowa $700,000 according to the contract.
Iowa has a 17-1 record against Northern Iowa and won the the most recent matchup between the two teams 38-14 in 2018 at Kinnick Stadium.
Northern Iowa is currently a member of the Missouri Valley Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision.
The series between Iowa and Northern Iowa dates back to 1898 when Northern Iowa was called the Iowa Teachers College.
The teams played 11 times from 1898 to 1914, but then didn’t play again until 1995. Iowa has won the last seven games by a combined margin of 258-103.
However, Iowa had to block two field-goal attempts in the finals seconds in 2009 to escape with a 17-16 victory at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa would go on to finish 11-2 that season, capped by a 24-14 over Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.