After a 2020-2021 season in which players looked up to empty seats and had to create their own sound and energy to prevent eerie silence, Illinois announced Friday morning that it plans for all sports venues, including the football season opener on Aug. 28, to return to 100% capacity for the 2021-2022 sports season.

“We are excited to be the first college football kickoff at 100% capacity in nearly 20 months,” said head football coach Bret Bielema in a press release. “The combination of being the first college football game of the season and being at full capacity will allow our fans to show the country that Memorial Stadium is an electric environment. I know our players can’t wait to see Grange Grove lined with the Illini famILLy during our team’s walk into the stadium and hear more than 60,000 fans going crazy in Memorial Stadium against Nebraska.”

The Big Ten allowed family members to attend home football games last season, though the conference did not allow general admission.

As of Friday, the first home Illinois sporting event will be hosted by soccer at new Demirjian Park on Aug. 8 when the Illini take on Eastern Illinois in an exhibition match.

Football opens its season at Memorial Stadium on August 28 against Nebraska, with kickoff scheduled for noon. Single-game tickets will go on sale Friday at noon central time.

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