The University of Idaho women’s soccer program has unveiled its 2026 non-conference schedule, a 12-match lineup that will test the Vandals against opponents from five different conferences before Big Sky play gets underway.
Idaho opens the season at home on August 8 against Oregon, following a preseason exhibition with the Ducks. The Vandals will then travel to Pullman on August 12 for the 17th all-time regular season meeting with Washington State, one of the rivalry’s most consistent fixtures on the schedule.
Home Dates and Multi-Conference Competition
The Vandals host four of their 12 non-conference contests at P1FCU Kibbie on the Moscow campus. After the Oregon opener, Idaho welcomes Cal State Northridge on August 15, followed by CSU Bakersfield on August 27 and Grand Canyon University on September 10. The home non-conference schedule closes September 25 against Gonzaga, giving Moscow fans a cross-state rivalry before conference play takes over.
The schedule draws opponents from the Pac-12, Big West, Mountain West, West Coast Conference, and Mid-American Conference, giving Idaho a diverse set of challenges heading into Big Sky competition. Two programs — UC Davis and Western Michigan — appear on Idaho’s schedule for the first time.
Neutral Site and Road Challenges
The most geographically ambitious stretch comes in mid-August, when the Vandals travel to Hawai’i for a neutral-site match against Western Michigan on August 18, followed four days later by a match against the Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine — the 2024 Big West regular season champions — on August 22.
The road schedule continues into September with a visit to the University of South Dakota on September 3 and a match at South Dakota State on September 6, before the Vandals head west to face the University of San Francisco on September 17 and UC Davis on September 20.
The full non-conference schedule at a glance:
- Aug. 8 — vs. Oregon (home)
- Aug. 12 — at Washington State
- Aug. 15 — vs. CSUN (home)
- Aug. 18 — vs. Western Michigan (neutral, Hawai’i)
- Aug. 22 — vs. Hawai’i
- Aug. 27 — vs. CSU Bakersfield (home)
- Sept. 3 — at South Dakota
- Sept. 6 — at South Dakota State
- Sept. 10 — vs. Grand Canyon (home)
- Sept. 17 — at San Francisco
- Sept. 20 — at UC Davis
- Sept. 25 — vs. Gonzaga (home)
What Comes Next
Following the conclusion of non-conference play at the end of September, the Vandals will shift their focus to the Big Sky Conference schedule. The strength of Idaho’s pre-conference slate — which includes a Big West champion, two first-time opponents, and multiple Power conference programs — should provide meaningful preparation before league competition determines postseason positioning. Fans looking for the full schedule and additional program updates can visit the official University of Idaho athletics website at uidaho.edu.