Annual college bowl game at Detroit's Ford Field canceled after 29 years

The GameAbove Sports Bowl, which has been hosted at the venue since 2002, will not take place in 2026.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The GameAbove Sports Bowl, an annual college football bowl game hosted at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, has been canceled ahead of the 2026 season. The venue announced the decision on Tuesday, citing the end of their current naming rights partnership as the reason for adjusting their focus to invest in sports at all levels and other entertainment events.

Why it matters

The GameAbove Sports Bowl, formerly known as the Motor City Bowl, Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, and Quick Lane Bowl, has been a staple of the Detroit sports landscape for nearly three decades. Its cancellation marks the end of an era and raises questions about the future of college football bowl games in the city.

The details

The bowl game, which was first hosted at the Silverdome in Pontiac in 1997, moved to Ford Field in 2002 and has been operated by the Detroit Lions since 2014. In its final iteration in 2025, Central Michigan fell to Northwestern by a score of 34-7.

  • The GameAbove Sports Bowl was first hosted at the Silverdome in Pontiac in 1997.
  • The game's location was moved to Ford Field in Detroit in 2002.
  • The bowl game was rebranded as the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in 2009 and the Quick Lane Bowl in 2013 before becoming the GameAbove Sports Bowl in 2024.
  • The Detroit Lions have operated the annual bowl game since 2014.
  • The final GameAbove Sports Bowl was played in December 2025.

The players

Ford Field

The venue that has hosted the annual college football bowl game since 2002.

Detroit Lions

The NFL team that has operated the annual bowl game since 2014.

Central Michigan

The college football team that lost to Northwestern in the final GameAbove Sports Bowl in 2025.

Northwestern

The college football team that defeated Central Michigan in the final GameAbove Sports Bowl in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“We can confirm that we will not host a bowl game at Ford Field in 2026. With the end of our current naming rights partnership, we felt this was the right time to adjust our focus to invest in sports at all levels and other entertainment events.”

— Ford Field (Social media)

The takeaway

The cancellation of the GameAbove Sports Bowl after nearly three decades in Detroit marks the end of a long-standing tradition in the city's sports landscape. It remains to be seen if another college football bowl game will take its place or if Ford Field will pivot to hosting different types of sporting and entertainment events.