Despite all the stadium drama for the UCLA Bruins football program, the team will be staying in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl for at least the 2026 season. Ben Bolch of the California Post was the first to report that the Bruins will stay in Pasadena for this year.
The news doesn’t come entirely out of nowhere. UCLA had been selling both season and single-game tickets to the Rose Bowl for months now. Another sign that pointed towards the Bruins staying at the Rose Bowl was UCLA removing Stephen Agostini from the CFO position earlier this week, with Agostini being a “principal drivers of UCLA to SoFi Stadium”.
According to Bolch’s article, a move to SoFi Stadium still sounds like a possibility down the road for the Bruins. UCLA could increase profits with suite revenue at SoFi and also be closer to UCLA’s campus, which could help Bruin students get out and see Bob Chesney’s team in-person.
A move to SoFi wouldn’t have been easy. The City of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl pursued legal action against SoFi Stadium and UCLA for attempting to break their lease, which has UCLA football staying in Pasadena through the 2043 season. If UCLA does eventually move to SoFi Stadium, the Bruins will likely have to cut the Rose Bowl a large buyout from their lease.
The best part about UCLA staying at the Rose Bowl for 2026 is that the Bruins’ pitiful 48-14 loss to Washington will not be UCLA’s final game at the Rose Bowl.
If 2026 is UCLA’s final season in Pasadena, then the Bruins last home game will be the season finale against the USC Trojans.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA staying at Rose Bowl for 2026 is a welcome result for fans
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
