College Football Comes to the Boricua Stage

Puerto Rico Bowl Debuts During the 2026 Season

BAYAMÓN, Puerto Rico, May 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2026 college football postseason lineup is set to feature the first-ever Puerto Rico Bowl, developed and managed by Complete Sports Management and ESPN Events in collaboration with Discover Puerto Rico, marking the first time the Island is set to host an American college football game. The game is a part of the expanded 41-bowl game lineup for the upcoming season recently sanctioned by the NCAA.

The Puerto Rico Bowl is slated to be played at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón and broadcast by ESPN. This milestone marks the first time the destination hosts a matchup in which a Mid-American Conference team faces a fellow NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision conference opponent. The game's December debut date and kickoff time will be announced at a later date.

"Puerto Rico is simply a magical place with magical people," said Complete Sports Management President Lea Miller-Tooley. "This game is going to be of historical significance with an incredible impact on sports tourism and exposure for one of the most beautiful places in the world. We thank Discover Puerto Rico for their partnership and look forward to our relationship for many years to come."

Discover Puerto Rico is the Island's official destination marketing organization. Puerto Rico stands out as a premier sports destination, the Caribbean's largest convention center, a strategic geographic location near major markets and an unmatched athletic legacy.

"Puerto Rico offers world-class venues for virtually every sport, combined with seamless, passport-free travel for U.S. visitors and a tropical climate that makes year-round athletic competition possible," said Discover Puerto Rico Chief Executive Director Jorge L. Perez. "We are especially thrilled to welcome the Puerto Rico Bowl, a historic landmark event that underscores our Island's growing stature as a world-class sports destination that offers an electrifying new experience to both teams and fans alike."

Creating and executing innovative events is at the core of Complete Sports Management and its impressive list of events and tours. Under Miller-Tooley's vision, CSM was the architect of the Bahamas Bowl in 2014, the first major college football bowl game played outside the United States and Canada between two U.S. teams since the Bacardi Bowl was played on Jan. 1, 1937. CSM was also the creator of the Battle 4 Atlantis men's (2011) and women's (2021) college basketball tournaments as well as the historic Oui-Play Paris women's doubleheader, which tips off the college basketball season annually.

"Through our long-standing bowl partnership with ESPN Events and Complete Sports Management, the Mid-American Conference is pleased to have an opportunity to participate in the inaugural Puerto Rico Bowl," said Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. "Having the opportunity to compete in such a special place will make for a memorable event for the student-athletes and fans."

Additional details for the 2026 Puerto Rico Bowl will be available later this summer. Follow Complete Sports Management on Instagram.

ABOUT COMPLETE SPORTS MANAGEMENT
Complete Sports Management is an all-encompassing sports events and marketing agency whose core capabilities include the creation of sporting events globally, event management, sponsorship and hospitality packages. A global brand with a personal touch, Complete Sports Management is responsible for the creation of top-tier sporting events and men's and women's college basketball and football foreign tours all over the world. For more information, go to CS-MGMT.com.

ABOUT DISCOVER PUERTO RICO 
Discover Puerto Rico is a private, not-for-profit Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) whose mission is to make Puerto Rico visible to the world as a premier travel destination. The DMO brings prosperity to the people of Puerto Rico by collaboratively promoting the Island's diversity and uniqueness for leisure and business travel, and events. It is responsible for all global marketing, sales, and promotion of the destination and works collaboratively with key local governmental and nongovernmental players throughout Puerto Rico's visitor economy and the community at large, to empower economic growth. To discover all the beauty the Island has to offer, visit DiscoverPuertoRico.com.

SOURCE Discover Puerto Rico