The Army-Navy game will return to its historical host city of Philadelphia in 2022 — the first time in three years.
The Black Knights and Midshipmen for two years moved on from Philadelphia to play in different venues, including West Point, N.Y. in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and East Rutherford, N.J. the following year.
But no city has ties to this game quite like the City of Brother Love, which has a history of hosting arguably the greatest rivalry in all of college football. Regardless of the outcome of Saturday's game, you can count on Philadelphia turning the contest into a must-see spectacle.
Unfortunately for fans of tradition, the game is soon to go on an even longer hiatus from Philadelphia as it takes a tour throughout the Northeast: The game will not return here again until the 2027 season.
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Which makes Saturday's game all the more important for those who wish the game would remain in its historical site.
Here's everything you need to know about the location of this year's game, including Philadelphia's historic ties with the Army-Navy game:
Where is the Army vs. Navy game in 2022?
Location: Philadelphia
The Army-Navy game in 2022 will be played in Philadelphia. It's the first time since the 2019 season the game has been played at the historical site, following a two-year stint where it was played in West Point, N.Y. (2020) and East Rutherford, N.J. (2021).
Army vs. Navy stadium details
Stadium: Lincoln Financial Field
Capacity: 69,896
Army vs. Navy will be played at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. The venue has hosted this game frequently since its opening in 2003, including 2003-06, 2008-10, 2012-15 and 2017-19.
Lincoln Financial Field has a similar capacity to the previous stadium in Philadelphia to host the Army-Navy game (Veterans Stadium, with a listed capacity of 65,352 for football games) but also features double the number of luxury and wheelchair-accessible seats.
Why is Army vs. Navy played in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia has been the traditional site of this game not only for the historic nature of the city, but also its equidistance between the two academies: It's 125 miles from Annapolis, and 142 miles from West Point. Moreover, Philadelphia and its stadiums are better equipped to handle the vast crowds the game draws.
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Future Army vs. Navy locations
While Army-Navy has traditionally been held in Philadelphia, the rivalry beginning 2023 will begin a four-year tour throughout the Northeast, with the game only returning as of the 2027 college football season. Here are the future locations of the game:
| Date | Location | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 9, 2023 | Foxborough, Mass. | Gillette Stadium |
| Dec. 14, 2024 | Landover, Md. | FedEx Field |
| Dec. 13, 2025 | Baltimore | M&T Bank Stadium |
| Dec. 12, 2026 | East Rutherford, N.J. | MetLife Stadium |
| Dec. 11, 2027 | Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field |
Army vs. Navy location history
Of the 122 previous matchups between Army and Navy, 89 have been played in Philadelphia, compared to four games at Army's campus in West Point, N.Y., and three games at Navy's campus in Annapolis, Md. That includes four alternating games at those sites to open the rivalry from 1890-93.
The remaining 26 games have been played at various locations, though only two have been held outside the Northeast: Chicago in 1926, and another in Pasadena, Calif., in 1983. The former was held due to the national dedication of Soldier Field, a monument to those soldiers who served in World War I. The latter was held at the Rose Bowl due to the numerous military installations and servicemen and women on the West Coast.
Three games from 1942-44 were held outside Philadelphia due to travel restrictions during World War II. Here is a list of every game held outside Philadelphia:
- Princeton, N.J. (1905)
- New York (1913, 1915-16, 1919-21, 1923, 1925, 1927, 1930-31)
- Baltimore (1924, 1944, 2000, 2007, 2014, 2016)
- Chicago (1926)
- Pasadena, Calif. (1983)
- Landover, Md. (2011)
- East Rutherford, N.J. (1989, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2021)
Even those games held in the City of Brother Love have been hosted by several different venues:
- Franklin Field (18 games from 1988 through 1935)
- Municipal Stadium/John F. Kennedy Stadium (41 games from 1936 through 1979)
- Veterans Stadium (17 games from 1980 through 2001)
- Lincoln Financial Field (13 games from 2003 through 2019)
