Georgia-Florida game moving to Tampa, Atlanta during stadium work: report

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Georgia-Florida football game will be played in Atlanta in 2026 and Tampa in 2027 during renovations to EverBank Stadium, according to a report from Brett McMurphy of the Action Network.

That news isn’t a surprise, but the locations had been up in the air. Now, it’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa that will serve as host to the annual clash.

The Jacksonville City Council voted to overhaul the stadium with its $1.4 billion Stadium of the Future for the Jaguars. The NFL owners voted unanimously to approve the stadium deal at its fall meetings earlier this month.

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The renovations will force reduced capacity at EverBank Stadium in 2026 and the Jaguars will play the 2027 season away from Jacksonville as the bigger work is completed. The team will return to its new stadium in 2028.

The Florida-Georgia game has been played in Jacksonville since 1933 with the exception of 1943, 1993 and 1994 when the city was rebuilding the stadium to accommodate the expansion Jaguars in 1995. The Gators didn’t field a team in 1943 due to World War II.

Mayor Donna Deegan said in a Tuesday press conference that the city hopes to finalize a deal to keep the game in town long term. The current deal for the game expires after the 2025 game. The schools exercised their two-year option last year.