San Diego Holiday Bowl 2025 Guide

Name: San Diego Holiday Bowl 2025 Guide
Start: 1/2/2026 5:00:00 PM
End: 1/2/2026 9:00:00 PM
Location: Snapdragon Stadium

Snapdragon Stadium

2101 Stadium Way, San Diego, CA 92108

Mission Valley

Date:

Jan 02, 2026 to Jan 02, 2026

Hours:

Snapdragon Band Bash @ SeaWorld San Diego - 4:00pm
Port of San Diego Game Day 5K Walk/Run - 8:00am check-in, 9:45am start
Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade - 10:00am to 11:30am
Holiday Bowl Tailgate Party - 3:00pm gates open
Holiday Bowl Game at Snapdragon Stadium - 5:00pm kickoff

Cost:

Band Bash - $35 ticket, $15 parking
5K Walk/Run - $52 adult, $25 youth
Holiday Bowl Parade - Free or $30 grandstand
Tailgate Party - Free
Game Tickets - $80 to $405; Parking - $38.60 standard, $154.30 RV

San Diego’s 2025 Holiday Bowl will feature the ACC’s SMU Mustangs & Big 12’s Arizona Wildcats. Get game & ticket info., plus details about events before & after.

Key Takeaways

The 2025 Trust & Will Holiday Bowl between the ACC’s SMU Mustangs & Big 12’s Arizona Wildcats is set for January 2nd, 2026 at 5:00pm.
Where will the Holiday Bowl be played? The game will be held in the Mission Valley’s Snapdragon Stadium, with space for up to 35,000 fans.
I’m personally looking forward to the exciting events around gameday, like the balloon parade, Band Bash at SeaWorld, and 5K Walk/Run.

By Todd Sarouhan

Last Updated on
Jan 01, 2026

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. This means if you make purchases through them, I may be compensated at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

San Diego Holiday Bowl

2025 Holiday Bowl Details

Ticket Information

Snapdragon Stadium

Explore & Save

Holiday Bowl Festivities

Parking, Hotels & More!

FAQs & Tips

Highlights

San Diego Holiday Bowl

Things to Do

Getting There

Tips

San Diego Gears Up for the 2025 Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium

Entrance to Vip Area at Snapdragon Stadium

All Seats Are Good Seats at Snapdragon Stadium

One of college football's most exciting events, the 46th Annual Trust & Will Holiday Bowl, is returning to San Diego in just a few days!

Set to take place again at the Snapdragon Stadium, I took my whole family to the Holiday Bowl last year for the first time, and it honestly exceeded my expectations.

Snapdragon Stadium is a huge part of that. It feels modern, comfortable, and surprisingly intimate for a major college bowl game. There really isn't a bad seat, and the whole place just works well for a big event like this.

One thing I especially love is the food and drink scene! They offer a lot more than your standard stadium fare. They've brought in some of San Diego's local favorites like Crack Shack, Cardiff Crack tri-tip, and Phil's BBQ. You can pair the awesome food with great local San Diego beer making the whole experience feel very "San Diego."

It turned into a full-on event for us, not just a football game, and it's something we're definitely looking forward to again!

Syracuse Orange Has the Ball at the Holiday Bowl 2024

Who's Playing in This Year's Holiday Bowl?

We now know that this year's 2025 Trust & Will Holiday Bowl (actually taking place after the New Year in January 2026 for the first time) should be a fantastic game between the ACC's SMU Mustangs and the Big12's Arizona Wildcats.

This year's Holiday Bowl will be Arizona's third appearance in the annual game and SMU's second appearance, their first and only other being in 1980 when the team was known as the 'Pony Express' and featured legendary running backs Eric Dickerson and Craig James. The teams haven't played each other since 1985, so this is quite a special matchup!

Let's look at both team's seasons starting with the University of Arizona Wildcats.

The University of Arizona Wildcats Football Team

The 17th ranked University of Arizona Wildcats out of the Power 4's Big 12 finished their regular season 5th in their conference with 9 wins and 3 loses. They won their last 5 games to finish their regular season strong.

Season highlights included a close loss to the BYU Cougars who would go on to play for the Big 12 conference and finish the regular season ranked 12th in the country. They also had a big win over their rivals at Arizona State on November 28th.

With 9 wins, I think that they are a very good football team!

The Southern Methodist Mustangs Football Team

The SMU Mustangs out of the Power 4's ACC also finished their regular season schedule ranked 5th in their conference with 8 wins and 4 loses.

Their biggest wins of the season came in a three week stretch where they upset Clemson and then Miami, the 10th ranked team in the country, now taking part as the ACC representative in the College Football Playoff. They also had a big 38-6 win over Louisville in late November that was quite impressive.

I think it's fair to say that they are a formidable foe that is capable of winning a single game on any given day.

Pre Game at the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium

Will it Be a Good Game?

I will tell you that I'm not a gambler and our site doesn't endorse gambling. But what I do know is that historically Las Vegas betting lines are often quite close to final scores of college football games and Las Vegas believes this year's Holiday Bowl will be a great game!

I recently saw the opening spread, or best guess of how much one of the team's will win by set at just 1.5 points favoring Arizona. That means that the odds are the game will be won or lost by less than a field goal!

Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium

When and Where is the 46th Annual Holiday Bowl

The 2026 Trust & Will Holiday Bowl will be held on Friday, January 2nd, 2026 at Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley starting at 5:00pm.

Gates will open at 3:00pm with the first 10,000 fans receiving a FREE SeaWorld San Diego ticket while supplies last. The ticket will be valid until January 31st, 2026.

While the game is on Friday, festivities will start on January 1st with the Band Bash at SeaWorld San Diego. I'll fill you in on the details about that and other key Holiday Bowl events including a 5K Walk/Run and parade below!

If you can't catch the game in person, you can also watch it live on TV. The game will be aired on FOX. But if you can go, I'd really suggest it, as this is a great opportunity to make some awesome family memories right in San Diego!

Tickets to the 2025 Holiday Bowl

As a big milestone for San Diego's college football scene, tickets for the 2025 Trust & Will Holiday Bowl will be in high demand, making it one of the most anticipated holiday events - and one we've highlighted alongside lots of other San Diego Christmas activities worth considering this year.

Pre Game Party at the Holiday Bowl

Game Day Tickets

Tickets to the Holiday Bowl game are currently on sale through the Holiday Bowl's website.

Prices range from $79.55 up to just under $405 per seat depending on the location, with some tickets also offering access to premium lounges.

Seat Location Recommendations

As someone that's been to the stadium, for this game last year, I really don't think there is a bad seat in the house, but if I had to choose, I'd prefer to get seats on the sideline between the goal lines.

Honestly though, corner seats in sections 101, 115 or 120-122 would all be great, offering a clear view at a slightly cheaper price!

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Exploring the Venue: Snapdragon Stadium

Since the first Holiday Bowl in 1978, the annual game has always been proudly hosted in San Diego. It's a major community event and a tradition for locals and fans.

Until 2020, the Holiday Bowl was held at the same stadium, though it's gone by many different names: San Diego Stadium, Jack Murphy Stadium, Qualcomm Stadium, and most recently, SDCCU. This was also the home of the Chargers before their move to Los Angeles, and San Diego State University (SDSU) college team, the Aztecs.

Snapdragon Stadium Sign and Palm Tree

A Look at Snapdragon Stadium

Located on the SDSU Mission Valley campus, Snapdragon Stadium is the current home of the SDSU Aztecs. Opened in 2022, it promises a refresh that is planned to last for decades alongside the campus.

Snapdragon boasts a capacity of 35,000 seats, with a potential future expansion of an additional 20,000. And let me say that in the world of massive college football stadiums, like Penn State's Stadium or the University of Tennessee's stadium, both having capacities well over 100,000, Snapdragon offers a much more intimate experience. I am really looking forward to it!

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Festivities Surrounding the Holiday Bowl

The 2025 Trust & Will Holiday Bowl will offer fans way more than just the football game! In the lead up to the big game, you can expect a band bash, parade, 5K run and more.

Let's dive into the details of each of the main events in the lead-up to the game!

Marching Band Show at the Holiday Bowl

Snapdragon Band Bash at SeaWorld San Diego

On the evening before the Holiday Bowl, Thursday, January 1st, 2026, the Arizona Wildcat and SMU Mustang's marching bands and cheer squads will put on a high-energy performance at SeaWorld San Diego in Mission Bay Park that you won't want to miss.

The special one-night-only experience will cost $35 for a nighttime park ticket valid after 3:00pm, with $15 parking discounted from the usual $35 price. The Band Bash itself will take place at 4:00pm.

The park will be open until 9:00pm on that day so you can watch the university bands battle it out and still have time to enjoy SeaWorld Christmas Celebration which will still be in full swing on January 1st! The event includes live music (the Jingle Squad being my favorite), Rudolph and friends for the kids, a Stocking Full of Soul show, and a number of seasonal food and drink items available for a limited-time only!

The Intercontinental San Diego next to the Embarcadero

Port of San Diego Game Day 5K Walk/Run Along the Harbor Front

The Port of San Diego 5K will begin at 9:45am on January 2nd at Harbor and Ash, near the waterfront in Downtown San Diego, with check-in at 8:00am. If you're spectating, I suggest that you pick out a seat that's close by both the running path and the parade route which will head right down the Embarcadero along the San Diego Bay, or head over to catch the end of the parade after the 5K.

Registration is on the Holiday Bowl's website. The cost to participate is $52 per adult runner and $25 per youth (15 and under). You can also join in the post-race party for live music and snacks to refuel after your run. T-shirts, finisher medals, and goody bags will be handed out at the finish line and awards will be handed out to the top three male and female runners in each age division.

If you just want to watch the race and cheer for the runners, that is 100% free!

Half Time Show at the Holiday Bowl

Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade presented by Kaiser Permanente

One of the most exciting events for me and my family will surely be the Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl parade!

If the 2025 parade is like last year's, there will be balloons and massive floats heading bayside along North Harbor Drive. As the largest balloon parade in America, you can also expect drill teams and marching bands to join in on the fun.

The Holiday Bowl parade will be held from 10:00am until 11:30am on gameday, Friday, January 2nd, 2026. Viewing is free but if you want to guarantee a fantastic view, grandstand seats located at 1400 N Harbor Drive are still available for $30 each.

We Are Loving the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium

Holiday Bowl Tailgate Party

You can get the party started on gameday at the Tailgate and Holiday FanFest!

Held on Snapdragon Stadium's east lawn, the official tailgate is open to all-ages and free to attend.

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Getting to the Game, Parking, & Nearby Hotels

As a local that's been to many big events in San Diego, from the annual Comic-Con Convention at the San Diego Convention Center to Padres games and summer concerts at Petco Park, to of course last year's Holiday Bowl, I know a thing or two about the importance of getting to the venue.

Let's have a look at the details about transportation, parking, and even where to stay if you want to make a trip out of your visit to the 2025 Holiday Bowl.

Food Stands All Around the Stadium at Snapdragon Stadium

Getting to the Game

Snapdragon Stadium is located at 2101 Stadium Way, San Diego, CA 92108 in the Mission Valley neighborhood.

You can of course drive to the game, but since it's a popular event, parking will be limited and crowded. My suggestion is to take public transit, specifically the San Diego Trolley, which has a stadium stop on the Green Line. I promise you it is VERY easy to figure out from any of the stations in San Diego and is top choice! My son actually thinks it's way easier (and cheaper) than driving!

You could also take a San Diego rideshare to and from the game which would be a convenient option. You'll want to be dropped off and picked up at Mission Village Drive, just north of Jacaranda Street (inside Gate 1).

Pre Game Practice at the Holiday Bowl

Where Can I Park?

Onsite parking can be pre-purchased with standard parking costing $38.60 and RV Parking costing $154.30.

I recommend you secure your parking before you go as it's not guaranteed there will be parking available at the stadium on gameday. If there is, lots will be cashless, only accepting credit card payments at the gates. In terms of gate prices, that information hasn't been released so again, our best bet is to buy in advance if you prefer to drive to the game.

Outdoor Lounge at the Intercontinental San Diego

My Suggestions for Beautiful Hotels Near the Game & Festivities

If you want to make things even easier, especially if you're not a San Diegan, I suggest you stay at a nearby hotel.

I'd recommend the Intercontinental San Diego in Downtown San Diego. At just over 5 miles from the stadium, not only is it located by the Santa Fe Trolley Station, but you'll also be close to the Holiday Bowl Parade - and you can't beat that view of the San Diego Bay from the hotel!

One more option I love would be the 4-star San Diego Marriott Mission Valley. At less than 2 miles from the stadium, it would be possible in about 30 minutes or less to walk to and from the game. The hotel itself features a beautiful pool, American dining, and clean contemporary rooms with balconies.

It's also near the Rio Vista Trolley stop, just two stations from the Snapdragon Stadium station, if you don't want to walk to the game!

Things to Know About the 2025 Holiday Bowl

Now that you know all about the game, the teams, how to get tickets, the events around the game, and even how to get to the stadium and where to park, let me answer a few more FAQs for you before you head off to the festivities!

Half Time Fireworks Show at the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium

What Time Do the Gates Open on Gameday?

Gates open at 3:00pm on January 2nd, 2026. Remember the first 10,000 fans to enter will also receive a free SeaWorld ticket good until January 31st, 2026, so be sure to arrive as early as you can.

It's good to know that the Pregame Show will begin 30 minutes before kickoff as well.

Famous Hodads at Snapdragon Stadium

Do the Concession Stands Take Cash?

No, Snapdragon Stadium is a cashless venue. To make purchases you'll want to make sure to bring your debit or credit card to the game.

Ice Cold Beer During the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium

Can I Bring a Bag into the Stadium?

Yes, but it's been my experience that they are quite picky about what you can and cannot bring into the stadium. You're allowed one clear bag that must be no larger than 12" x 6" x 12", or a one-gallon clear freezer bag style bag.

You can also bring a purse or small bag no larger than 4.5" x 6.5".

Post Game at the Holiday Bowl 2024

The Holiday Bowl is More Than 'Just a Game'

This year's Holiday Bowl promises to be packed with events for diehard college football fans and families alike. But I would say that even if you're not a fan of college football, consider coming out to the parade or one of the other events. I think you could really enjoy it!

I had an awesome time last year with my family at the game and surrounding events and I think that's because the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium feels like a true San Diego event - great seats, local food, and plenty of local beer to go with the game!