Florida-Georgia Rivalry Hits the Road—Still Nets Almost $10M Payouts

Florida and Georgia are set for their final matchup in Jacksonville before the college football rivalry game takes a two-year road trip, as EverBank Stadium undergoes a $1.4 billion renovation that still has the Jaguars searching for a temporary home venue in 2027.

The No. 5 Bulldogs (6–1) face the unranked Gators (3–4) Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Next season, the NFL stadium that annually hosts the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” will have reduced capacity. So, the Florida-Georgia game will be played in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2026; Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium will host the contest in 2027 when Jacksonville’s stadium is completely closed.

Each school will be paid $9 million for playing in Atlanta in 2026—$7.5 million from AMB Sports & Entertainment, according to the Athens Banner-Herald, and $1.5 million from the city of Jacksonville. It’s unclear how much Tampa organizers will pay for the 2027 game, but Jacksonville will once again pay $1.5 million to each program. 

When the Florida-Georgia game returns to the renovated EverBank Stadium in 2028, Jacksonville’s new contract with the schools guarantees an annual payment of at least $10 million each.

For now, players are not directly benefiting financially from the neutral-site game, like Auburn players will next season when the Tigers host Baylor in Atlanta, with NIL (name, image, and likeness) activations tied directly to ticket sales and surrounding events.

Pros and Cons

Georgia coach Kirby Smart has previously expressed his support for one day playing the Florida game on home campuses, although he acknowledges there are positives in both scenarios. 

“Financially, it can be rewarding,” Smart said this week on the SEC coaches conference call. “Yes, we’re in a financial climate where money matters in terms of your athletic budget and being able to support it, and that’s certainly a factor in this decision. But it’s not the only decision.”

Smart lamented the fact that Georgia players will never get to play at The Swamp in Gainesville. “The opportunity to play on these campuses and play in the location other teams play Florida and other teams play Georgia, I think there’s something lost on that,” he said.