NCAA Holiday Bowl Stays in San Diego Amid Sudden Saudi Arabia Hosting Reversal—What Sparked the Change?

With college football’s postseason landscape growing wider than ever thanks to an expanding CFP field, you might think every bowl game would be chasing the next big flashy venue — maybe even somewhere exotic like Saudi Arabia. And honestly, who wouldn’t be curious if the Holiday Bowl, with its high stakes and loyal fanbase, would pack its bags and head halfway across the world for 2025? Well, scratch that notion for now. Despite Saudi Arabia’s rising sports empire—from UFC brawls to Premier League investments—the ACC has firmly said “no thanks” to moving the Holiday Bowl overseas. It’s staying put in San Diego, at least for this upcoming season. So here’s the kicker: with all the global sporting spectacles that PIF bankrolls and the allure of deep pockets, just how long can American college football resist planting a flag in the Middle East? Is the 2025 Holiday Bowl’s stand a sign of tradition holding firm, or just a pause before the next big geographical shakeup? Only time will tell if other postseason matchups will follow Saudi Arabia’s siren song—or if this is where the line is drawn.

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Despite an ever-growing College Football Playoff (CFP) field, the postseason bowl game slate remains a vital part of the annual NCAA football schedule. As more and more sports leagues and institutions flock to Saudi Arabia for both new and existing events, it looks like the Middle Eastern country wants to add college football to its ever-growing stable. However, according to college football insider Brett McMurphy via X, formerly Twitter, the 2025 Holiday Bowl will not move overseas, remaining in San Diego.

“Holiday Bowl officials met in Saudi Arabia in spring about moving 2025 Holiday Bowl to Middle East, but ACC “didn’t want to” move game, sources told@On3sports,” reported McMurphy. “Holiday Bowl will be Jan. 2 in San Diego, pitting ACC vs. current/former Pac-12 team.”

Many other sports institutions have held special events and matchups in Saudi Arabia over the last decade. WWE and UFC routinely host pay-per-views from the nation. The country’s Private Investment Fund (PIF) owns LIV Golf and has invested in English Premier League side Newcastle United. As the country utilizes its wealth to bring the eyes of the sports world towards it, the ACC has resisted the call of the Middle Eastern nation. Will another postseason matchup besides the Holiday Bowl decide to set up shop overseas, perhaps even as soon as this winter?

ACC resists the siren call of Saudi Arabia’s Holiday Bowl dream

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips in attendance as the Pittsburgh Panthers host the Louisville Cardinals at Acrisure Stadium. — Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

In an era of expansion across NCAA football, more money for Division I schools has been among the top priorities of college football’s biggest institutions. Yet, while Saudi Arabia would have likely paid a large fee to host the Holiday Bowl, the logistics of hosting a bowl game in just a couple of months might have been a short turnaround for the ACC and their current/former Pac-12 opponents.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips and the league’s brass have likely made the right call in this scenario. However, it also feels like a matter of time before football, whether it be the NCAA or NFL, hosts a game in the Middle Eastern nation. Will it be a bowl game like the Holiday Bowl? Or potentially something more substantial?

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