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The N.C. State vs. Virginia football game set to take place in Brazil as the first college football game played in South America, is being relocated to the Cavaliers’ home field after organizers determined the game could not be conducted in Rio de Janeiro.
Wednesday’s announcement came less than three months before the Wolfpack and Cavaliers were set to open the season in Rio.
The Atlantic Coast Conference said in a news release that the change comes after “extensive review with operational partners and international stakeholders,” with event organizer Athlete Advantage recently informing the league and schools that the event couldn’t move forward as planned in Brazil.
The game was set to take place Aug. 29, in Week 0 on the college football calendar. The league and schools are working with TV partner ESPN and the NCAA to keep the game on the scheduled date.
The teams had originally agreed to a home-and-home non-conference series that wouldn’t count in the ACC standings since games were added outside the league scheduling model. Longtime league members from neighboring states don’t meet as often because of years of expansion amid waves of national conference realignment.
N.C. State won last year’s first matchup in that home-and-home plan. The Rio game was set to replace Virginia’s home game in Charlottesville, though as part of the league slate as the ACC moves to a nine-game schedule. Now it will be held at Scott Stadium in the more traditional backdrop.
Fans who purchased tickets or travel packages for the event through the official College Football Brasil website will receive refunds.
Reporting by the Associated Press.
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