LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – The countdown to kickoff is underway as the Lincoln University (PA) football team prepares for a 2026 schedule filled with marquee matchups, CIAA competition and three showcase games that will put the Lions on major stages throughout the season.

Lincoln's 10-game regular-season slate features three contests on its traditional home schedule, four conference road games and multiple opportunities to showcase the nation's first degree-granting Historically Black College and University beyond the confines of LU Athletics Stadium. The Lions will be featured in three special HBCU showcase games during the season: the Chicago Football Classic, the Frederick Douglass HBCU Classic in Rochester, New York, and a highly anticipated matchup with Virginia Union at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Lincoln opens the 2026 campaign on Saturday, September 5, welcoming West Chester University to LU Athletics Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The matchup will give the Lions an early test before they head to the national stage one week later.

Lions Head to Chicago
The first major showcase of the season comes on September 12, when Lincoln travels to Chicago to face NCAA Division I FCS opponent Mississippi Valley State in the Chicago Football Classic.
The matchup will be played at historic Soldier Field and will mark Lincoln's first appearance in the event. The Chicago Football Classic celebrates HBCU culture while using football, educational programming and other events to help promote opportunities for students.

The matchup against Mississippi Valley State will provide Lincoln with an opportunity to compete against a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference while showcasing the program before a national HBCU audience.

Following its trip to Chicago, Lincoln turns its attention to CIAA play with a road contest against Shaw University on September 19. The Lions then return to LU Athletics Stadium to host Bluefield State University on September 26 at 1 p.m.

Frederick Douglass HBCU Classic
Lincoln's second classic of the season comes on October 3, when the Lions meet Virginia State University in the Baldwin Richardson Foods Frederick Douglass HBCU Classic in Rochester, New York.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Rochester Community Sports Complex. The third-annual event is part of the Frederick Douglass HBCU Classic Weekend of Hope and includes several days of activities celebrating HBCU culture and educational opportunities.

The matchup will also carry conference implications as the Lions and Trojans meet in CIAA competition.

Lincoln then hits the road for consecutive conference contests, traveling to Elizabeth City State University on October 10 before heading to Charlotte to face Johnson C. Smith University on October 17.

A Historic Homecoming
The Lions return home on October 24 for one of the most anticipated weekends of the year when they welcome Winston-Salem State University to LU Athletics Stadium for Homecoming.

The 1 p.m. matchup will be part of a historic celebration as Lincoln commemorates 100 years of Homecoming, adding another chapter to one of the university's most celebrated traditions.

Lincoln Takes the Linc
Lincoln's third major showcase comes at the end of October when the Lions take their talents to Philadelphia for a CIAA showdown with Virginia Union University at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles.

The contest will mark Lincoln football's first game in Philadelphia in 16 years and gives the Lions the opportunity to compete on an NFL field in front of alumni, supporters and HBCU football fans from throughout the region. The matchup is part of a larger HBCU football weekend at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Lions will conclude the regular season on November 7, traveling to Bowie, Maryland, to face Bowie State University in another CIAA matchup.

With three showcase events, a Centennial Homecoming celebration and a challenging CIAA slate, the 2026 season provides Lincoln with opportunities to represent the university on some of the biggest stages in HBCU football.

2026 Lincoln Football Schedule
Sept. 5 – West Chester – Lincoln University, Pa. – 1 p.m.
Sept. 12 – Mississippi Valley State – Chicago Football Classic – Chicago, Ill.
Sept. 19 – at Shaw – Raleigh, N.C.
Sept. 26 – Bluefield State – Lincoln University, Pa. – 1 p.m.
Oct. 3 – Virginia State – Frederick Douglass HBCU Classic – Rochester, N.Y. – 1 p.m.
Oct. 10 – at Elizabeth City State – Elizabeth City, N.C.
Oct. 17 – at Johnson C. Smith – Charlotte, N.C.
Oct. 24 – Winston-Salem State – Homecoming / Centennial Celebration – Lincoln University, Pa. – 1 p.m.
Oct. 30/31 – Virginia Union – Lincoln Financial Field HBCU Showcase – Philadelphia, Pa.
Nov. 7 – at Bowie State – Bowie, Md. – 1 p.m.

All themes and ticket information is forthcoming.

For the latest schedule information, visit the official Lincoln University football schedule.