The 2026 CAA football schedule is set, and the Coastal Athletic Association remains one of the deepest leagues in the FCS with 13 football-playing members stretched along the East Coast from Maine to North Carolina. The league reshuffled again for 2026, but it still routinely sends a handful of teams to the FCS playoffs. Below is the full 2026 membership, the week-by-week conference schedule, the road to the FCS bracket, and a free printable standings tracker to follow the race all fall.
- Teams: 13 football-playing members
- Conference games: 8 per team
- Season window: August 27, 2026 to November 21, 2026
- Postseason: Champion earns the FCS playoff automatic bid
- Last updated: July 30, 2026
2026 CAA Conference Schedule
Every 2026 CAA conference game, week by week. Conference play opens Aug 27 and runs through the final weekend on November 21. Non-conference dates fill in around these matchups, and kickoff times plus TV are confirmed closer to each weekend.
| Date | Conference Games (Away at Home) |
|---|---|
| Aug 27 Thu | Maine at Towson |
| Aug 28 Fri | New Hampshire at UAlbany |
| Sept 5 Sat | Sacred Heart at Monmouth |
| Sept 12 Sat | Bryant at Hampton Elon at Rhode Island |
| Sept 19 Sat | Monmouth at UAlbany North Carolina A&T at Campbell Sacred Heart at Elon Rhode Island at Stony Brook |
| Sept 26 Sat | Campbell at Hampton Maine at Elon New Hampshire at Sacred Heart Rhode Island at North Carolina A&T |
| Oct 3 Sat | North Carolina A&T at Bryant Elon at New Hampshire Sacred Heart at Maine Towson at Monmouth |
| Oct 10 Sat | New Hampshire at North Carolina A&T Stony Brook at Towson |
| Oct 17 Sat | UAlbany at Stony Brook Bryant at Maine Towson at Campbell Hampton at Sacred Heart Monmouth at New Hampshire |
| Oct 24 Sat | UAlbany at Rhode Island Stony Brook at Bryant Campbell at Maine Monmouth at Hampton |
| Oct 31 Sat | Campbell at UAlbany Bryant at Monmouth Elon at North Carolina A&T Hampton at Towson Maine at Rhode Island Sacred Heart at Stony Brook |
| Nov 7 Sat | UAlbany at Bryant Stony Brook at Campbell Hampton at Elon North Carolina A&T at Monmouth Rhode Island at New Hampshire Towson at Sacred Heart |
| Nov 14 Sat | Maine at UAlbany Bryant at Sacred Heart Campbell at Elon North Carolina A&T at Hampton Stony Brook at New Hampshire Towson at Rhode Island |
| Nov 21 Sat | UAlbany at North Carolina A&T Rhode Island at Bryant Monmouth at Campbell Elon at Towson Hampton at Stony Brook New Hampshire at Maine |
2026 CAA Members
Sacred Heart is new for 2026; Villanova and William and Mary left for the Patriot League.
| School | Location | Nickname | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryant Bulldogs | Smithfield, RI | Bulldogs | Beirne Stadium |
| Campbell Fighting Camels | Buies Creek, NC | Fighting Camels | Barker-Lane Stadium |
| Elon Phoenix | Elon, NC | Phoenix | Rhodes Stadium |
| Hampton Pirates | Hampton, VA | Pirates | Armstrong Stadium |
| Maine Black Bears | Orono, ME | Black Bears | Alfond Stadium |
| Monmouth Hawks | West Long Branch, NJ | Hawks | Kessler Stadium |
| New Hampshire Wildcats | Durham, NH | Wildcats | Wildcat Stadium |
| North Carolina A&T Aggies | Greensboro, NC | Aggies | Truist Stadium |
| Rhode Island Rams | Kingston, RI | Rams | Meade Stadium |
| Sacred Heart Pioneers | Fairfield, CT | Pioneers | Campus Field |
| Stony Brook Seawolves | Stony Brook, NY | Seawolves | LaValle Stadium |
| Towson Tigers | Towson, MD | Tigers | Johnny Unitas Stadium |
| UAlbany Great Danes | Albany, NY | Great Danes | Casey Stadium |
2026 Realignment: What Changed
Villanova and William and Mary left the CAA for the Patriot League in 2026, and Sacred Heart joined from FCS independent status, keeping the league at 13 football members. The CAA spans a wide East Coast footprint, which makes its automatic playoff bid one of the harder ones to lock up.
How the 2026 CAA Season Works
The 2026 CAA football schedule gives each team 8 conference games between August 27, 2026 and November 21, 2026. Programs fill the rest of the schedule with non-conference opponents, and the league standings decide the automatic playoff bid plus seeding for teams in the hunt for at-large spots. Kickoff times and TV or streaming details are confirmed closer to each weekend.
CAA and the FCS Playoffs
The CAA champion earns the conference automatic bid into the 24-team FCS playoff, and the league is usually a multi-bid conference through at-large selection. Rhode Island, Villanova (now departed), and UAlbany have been recent bracket teams, so the top of the standings maps closely onto the national picture. You can print the full postseason field with our 2026 FCS playoff bracket.
How to Watch CAA Football in 2026
CAA games are carried across ESPN platforms, including ESPN+, along with regional and conference streaming outlets. Exact network and start time for each game are confirmed in the weeks before kickoff, so bookmark this page and check back as the matchups firm up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many teams are in the CAA for 2026?
13 teams play Coastal Athletic Association football in 2026. Sacred Heart is new for 2026; Villanova and William and Mary left for the Patriot League.
How many conference games does each CAA team play?
Each team plays 8 conference games in 2026, with non-conference dates added around them. FCS programs may now play a full 12-game regular season.
When does the 2026 CAA season start and end?
The 2026 CAA season runs from August 27, 2026 through the final regular-season weekend on November 21, 2026, ahead of the FCS playoffs.
How does the CAA make the FCS playoffs?
The CAA champion earns an automatic bid into the 24-team FCS playoff bracket, and additional teams can reach the field as at-large selections.
Is there a printable CAA schedule and standings tracker?
Yes. A free printable PDF standings tracker is available above, with every 2026 member listed and blank columns to fill in conference and overall records all season.
More 2026 FCS Coverage
Explore the rest of our FCS hub: the 2026 FCS football schedule and conference guide, the printable 2026 FCS playoff bracket, and every notable 2026 FCS vs FBS matchup.
