HAMPTON, Va. (Dec. 16, 2025) … Hampton University Athletics is proud to unveil the updated 2026 Hampton Pirates Football Schedule, featuring a dynamic slate of regional rivalries, nationally recognized opponents, and pivotal Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) matchups that will define the Pirates' upcoming campaign.
Under the leadership of new head coach Van Malone, the Pirates embark on a new era of Hampton Football. Coach Malone, a veteran coach with extensive experience at the highest levels of college football, has served as assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator at Kansas State, where he has helped develop multiple all-conference defensive backs and top 25 defenses at the Power Four level. Malone and his staff are already hard at work retooling the roster and elevating the program's competitiveness within the CAA.
The Pirates will open the season on Friday, Aug. 29, under the lights at Armstrong Stadium, launching a balanced home-and-away slate that promises excitement for fans and challenges for the team. On Sept. 5, Hampton will make program history by facing its first-ever Power Four opponent, traveling to College Park to take on the Maryland Terrapins of the Big Ten Conference. The team returns home the following week to host Bryant (Sept. 12), entering its third season as a fellow CAA member.
Rivalry energy intensifies on September 19 when the Pirates travel across the water to face Norfolk State in the annual Battle of the Bay, one of the region's most anticipated showdowns. Hampton then returns home on Sept. 26 to host Campbell in a key CAA contest with early-season implications.
October opens with a historic rivalry clash in the nation's capital, as Hampton faces Howard in the 101st Battle of the Real HU on Oct. 3 at a neutral site in Washington, D.C., a matchup poised to draw significant alumni engagement. The Pirates then travel north to meet new CAA member Sacred Heart (Oct. 17) before returning to Armstrong Stadium for Homecoming on Oct. 24, hosting Monmouth in one of the season's marquee events. The team concludes the month with a Halloween road test at Towson (Oct. 31).
As November arrives, postseason aspirations take center stage. Hampton visits Elon (Nov. 7) before returning home for an emotional Senior Day and rivalry matchup against North Carolina A&T (Nov. 14). The regular season concludes on November 21 with a crucial conference trip to Stony Brook, a matchup that could have significant CAA postseason implications.
"This schedule reflects who we want to be as a program," said Head Football Coach Van Malone. "We are challenging ourselves with elite opponents, renewing rivalries that matter deeply to Pirate Nation, and embracing the standard of excellence that comes with representing Hampton University. Our staff and student-athletes are fully committed to building a tough, disciplined, and relentless brand of football that makes our campus, alumni, and community proud."
"This is a very exciting time for Hampton University football," said Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Anthony D. Henderson Sr. "Coach Malone brings the culture-building leadership and football expertise needed to compete for championships in the CAA while honoring Hampton's tradition as one of the premier HBCU programs in the country. We are energized by the 2026 schedule and look forward to seeing Pirate Nation show up and show out for our student-athletes—packing Armstrong Stadium and traveling with us on the road as we begin this new chapter together."
Deposits for 2026 season tickets will open in mid-December, giving fans the first opportunity to secure their seats for a season filled with tradition, rivalry, and renewed momentum.
2026 HAMPTON PIRATES FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
(Home games in bold; neutral sites in double asterisks)
Aug. 29 — TBA
Sept. 5 — at Maryland
Sept. 12 — BRYANT
Sept. 19 — at Norfolk State
Sept. 26 — CAMPBELL
Oct. 3 — HOWARD (Washington, D.C.) **
Oct. 17 — at Sacred Heart
Oct. 24 — MONMOUTH (Homecoming)
Oct. 31 — at Towson
Nov. 7 — at Elon
Nov. 14 — NORTH CAROLINA A&T
Nov. 21 — at Stony Brook
