University of Idaho Vandal Soccer Receives 2026 and 2027 Big Sky Conference Schedules
The University of Idaho women’s soccer program now has its conference roadmap for the next two seasons after the Big Sky Conference released its 2026 and 2027 conference schedules on Thursday. The announcement marks a notable moment for the league, which has undergone significant realignment heading into the new cycle.
Big Sky Conference Expands to Ten Teams
The Big Sky Conference is entering a new era in soccer with an expanded field. The league has grown from nine teams to ten following the departure of Sacramento State and the addition of Utah Tech and Southern Utah. Southern Utah’s addition carries a sense of familiarity — the institution is returning to the Big Sky after a four-season stint in the Western Athletic Conference.
The expansion to ten teams also means a fuller slate of conference play for every program. All league teams, including the Idaho Vandals in Moscow, will now compete in nine conference contests, up from the previous schedule structure. That additional game adds both competitive weight and scheduling complexity for programs managing academic and athletic calendars.
The University of Idaho, home to a proud tradition of collegiate athletics rooted in the Palouse region, will face a mix of familiar Big Sky opponents and new challengers in both conference years.
Idaho’s Conference Slate: 2026 and 2027
In 2026, the Vandals open conference play at home on October 1 against Weber State, followed by a matchup with Idaho State on October 4. The schedule then shifts to road contests at Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona before Idaho returns home to host newcomers Utah Tech on October 22 and Southern Utah on October 25. The season closes with road trips to Portland State, Montana, and Eastern Washington.
The 2027 conference schedule flips much of the home-and-away structure. Idaho opens on the road at Idaho State on September 30, then travels to Weber State on October 3. Home games against Montana and Portland State follow before another stretch of road matchups at Utah Tech and Southern Utah. The Vandals close the 2027 conference season hosting Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, and Eastern Washington.
The scheduling framework gives Idaho fans in Moscow a solid mix of home conference action across both seasons, with the program hosting four conference matches in 2026 and five in 2027.
The Vandals are coming off a solid 2025 regular season that saw them finish fifth in the Big Sky standings with a 2-2-4 conference record. Despite a crowded middle of the pack, Idaho made noise in the postseason bracket, defeating Portland State before facing eventual conference champion Montana in Missoula. The Vandals pushed the Grizzlies to penalty kicks before falling short — a performance that demonstrated competitive depth and postseason resilience.
That run to the conference semifinal round against the championship-winning Montana squad gives the program a meaningful benchmark as it prepares for expanded competition. Adding Utah Tech and Southern Utah to the league means new opponents to scout and new road environments to navigate.
The University of Idaho continues to invest in its athletic programs as part of its broader campus mission. The school has seen activity on multiple fronts recently — including a reinstated federal grant program that provides additional resources for Idaho’s flagship university, and discussions about tuition rates at Idaho’s public four-year institutions that affect the financial landscape for student-athletes and their families.
For Vandal fans across Latah County and the broader Palouse region, the release of the two-year conference schedule gives supporters an early look at which matchups to circle on the calendar. Home conference games at the University of Idaho in Moscow remain a focal point of community engagement during the fall soccer season.
What Comes Next
The Big Sky Conference is expected to release non-conference schedules and full season details closer to the start of the 2026 fall season. Fans can follow the Idaho women’s soccer program through the university’s official athletics website at govandals.com, as well as on the team’s official social media accounts. The Vandals will look to build on their 2025 postseason experience as they prepare to compete in an expanded ten-team Big Sky field.