The University of South Florida Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved a plan to build a $340 million, 35,000-seat stadium north of the practice fields in time for the 2026 season.
The board must now also authorize the final budget when a team led by design firm Populous and building company Barton Malow present a maximum project price by next summer, the Tampa Bay Times and WFTS-TV reported.
The University of South Florida Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved a plan to build a $340 million, 35,000-seat stadium north of the practice fields in time for the 2026 season.
The board must now also authorize the final budget when a team led by design firm Populous and building company Barton Malow present a maximum project price by next summer, the Tampa Bay Times and WFTS-TV reported.Â
The stadium, scheduled to open by fall 2026, will be built on the east side of the Tampa campus on a site known as Sycamore Fields, supplementing the ongoing expansion of the USF Athletics district. 
The board Tuesday also approved a plan to relocate recreational fields and other small facilities located at the Sycamore Fields site to other locations on campus to help ensure that all USF students continue to have access to facilities for club sports, intramurals and other recreational activities.
The approval by the board authorizes the USF Financing Corp. to issue a debt of $200 million that the university will repay from several sources, including operating revenues from the stadium and other revenues generated by USF Athletics, WFTS-TV reported.Â
USF is currently going through the design phase of the new stadium. That phase includes more than 40 recent meetings with stakeholder groups, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and other supporters.
After the design phase, USF leadership will present a more detailed plan for a stadium, including renderings of the facility.
