So, you're trying to figure out where the Fiesta Bowl is happening in 2025? It’s a bit of a trick question because of how the college football calendar works now, but the short answer is Glendale, Arizona.
Specifically, the game lives at State Farm Stadium.
If you’ve been following the new 12-team playoff format, you know things have gotten a little chaotic. The "2024 season" actually bleeds right into the 2025 calendar year. Because the Fiesta Bowl was designated as a CFP Quarterfinal for this cycle, the date was set for December 31, 2024. But here is where it gets interesting: because of the way the rotation works, there is technically another "Fiesta Bowl" occurring in the 2025 season that actually takes place in January 2026.
Honestly, it’s enough to make your head spin. But for most fans asking about the "2025 Fiesta Bowl," they are looking for that New Year's Eve clash in Glendale.
The Stadium: Where is the Fiesta Bowl 2025 Being Played?
State Farm Stadium is the spot. It’s not actually in Phoenix, though everyone calls it that. It’s in Glendale, which is about 20 minutes west of downtown Phoenix if the traffic is behaving (which it usually isn't on game day).
This place is a marvel of engineering. It has a retractable roof and—this is the cool part—a retractable grass field. They literally roll the grass outside into the Arizona sunshine to keep it alive and then slide it back in for kickoff.
Stadium Details:
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- Location: 1 Cardinals Way, Glendale, AZ 85305.
- Capacity: Roughly 63,400, but they can squeeze in about 73,000 for massive events like the Super Bowl or a Playoff Semifinal.
- Roof: Retractable (usually closed for the Fiesta Bowl to keep the desert heat or rare winter rain out).
For the December 31, 2024 game (the 2025 Quarterfinal), the matchup featured the Penn State Nittany Lions against the Boise State Broncos. Penn State ended up taking that one 31-14, leaning on a monster performance from Tyler Warren. If you were there, you saw over 63,000 fans packed into the West Valley.
Why Glendale and Not Tempe?
If you’re an old-school fan, you might remember the game being played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. That was the home of the Fiesta Bowl from 1971 all the way through 2006. It had that classic college vibe—open air, bleachers, and the mountains in the background.
But the move to Glendale in 2007 changed the game. It allowed the Fiesta Bowl to join the elite tier of "New Year’s Six" bowls because it could offer air conditioning, luxury suites, and a much larger footprint for the massive "Vrbo Fiesta Bowl" fan fests.
Getting to the Game: Travel and Logistics
If you're planning a trip for the next iteration—which, mark your calendars, is a Semifinal on January 8, 2026—you’ll want to fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).
Sky Harbor is one of the easiest airports to navigate in the country, but Glendale is a hike from there. Most people stay in the "Westgate Entertainment District." It’s literally right next to the stadium. You can walk from your hotel to the game, hit up a dozen different bars, and never have to worry about an Uber surge price.
A few tips for the desert:
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- Don't trust the sun. It’ll be 75 degrees at 2:00 PM and 45 degrees the second the sun goes down. Layers are your best friend.
- Westgate is the hub. If you aren't staying there, arrive at least three hours early. The parking lots around State Farm Stadium are massive, and getting in can be a bottleneck.
- The "Clear Bag" policy is strict. Don't try to bring your lucky backpack. They will make you walk all the way back to your car.
The Playoff Rotation Mess
The College Football Playoff (CFP) uses a rotation. This is why the "where" is easy, but the "when" is hard.
For the 2024-25 season, the Fiesta Bowl was a Quarterfinal.
For the 2025-26 season, the Fiesta Bowl jumps up to a Semifinal.
That Semifinal is scheduled for January 8, 2026. So, if you are looking for the next big game in the desert, that's the date. It’s a Thursday night game, which is a bit of a departure from the traditional New Year's Day vibe, but that's the price we pay for a 12-team bracket.
What to do in Glendale (Besides the Game)
Honestly, if you're just going for the football, you're missing out. The Fiesta Bowl is a whole "thing" in Arizona.
There’s the Fiesta Bowl Parade in central Phoenix, which usually happens a few days before the game. It’s got giant balloons and marching bands; it’s basically the Macy’s parade but with more sunshine and fewer parkas.
Then there’s the Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Fan Fest. It’s usually held right outside the stadium at Westgate. They have pep rallies, beer gardens, and interactive games. It's the best place to soak in the atmosphere, especially if you're a fan of the teams playing.
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Pro Tip: If you have an extra day, drive two hours north to Sedona. The red rocks are incredible, and it's a nice break from the strip malls and stadium concrete of Glendale.
Recent Results and History
The Fiesta Bowl has a reputation for being the "weird" bowl. It’s where the underdogs usually pull off the impossible. Think back to 2007 when Boise State beat Oklahoma with a Statue of Liberty play.
More recently, the 2024-25 Quarterfinal saw Penn State continue their dominant "perfect" streak in the Fiesta Bowl. They’ve played in eight of them and won all eight. That’s a stat that defies logic.
Recent Fiesta Bowl Winners:
- 2024 (Dec 31): Penn State 31, Boise State 14
- 2023: Oregon 45, Liberty 6
- 2022 (Semifinal): TCU 51, Michigan 45 (Total shootout)
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're looking to attend the next big one at State Farm Stadium, don't wait until the matchup is announced in December.
- Book a hotel in Westgate now. Hotels like the Renaissance or the Home2 Suites right next to the stadium sell out months in advance.
- Check the CFP schedule. Ensure you are looking at the 2025 season game (January 8, 2026) if you want to see the Semifinal.
- Get your parking pass early. Don't try to pay at the gate. Use the SeatGeek or the official Fiesta Bowl site to grab a pass for the "Orange" or "Yellow" lots. It saves you a massive headache on game day.
The desert in January is basically football heaven. Just make sure you're heading to Glendale, not Tempe, and bring a jacket for those chilly Arizona nights. Over 50 years of history proves that whatever happens in the Fiesta Bowl, it’s usually going to be a wild ride.