O'Brien Field guide: schedule, kickoff times, parking and bag policy

O'Brien Field holds 10,000 fans and is home to Eastern Illinois Panthers (NCAA FCS, Ohio Valley Conference-Big South Football Association). This page lists every remaining home game with its kickoff time, and the stadium's gates, parking and bag rules.

Capacity	10,000
Opened	1970
Home teams	Eastern Illinois Panthers (NCAA FCS, Ohio Valley Conference-Big South Football Association)
Address	100 Grant Avenue, Charleston, IL 61920

When are the remaining home games?

2 home games left, starting Sat Nov 7, 2026. Times are local (Central).

Date	Game	Kickoff	Competition
Sat Nov 7, 2026	Eastern Illinois Panthers vs Western Illinois Leathernecks	2:00 pm	NCAA FCS football, 2026 regular season
Sat Nov 21, 2026	Eastern Illinois Panthers vs Charleston Southern Buccaneers	12:00 pm	NCAA FCS football, 2026 regular season

When do the gates open at O'Brien Field?

Ticket gates at O'Brien Field open 90 minutes prior to kickoff. (source)

What are the tailgating rules at O'Brien Field?

Tailgating starts four hours prior to game time in the area designated by white cyclone fencing. Vehicles within the fenced area at kickoff must remain until the end of the third quarter. Kegs are not allowed; coolers only. No glass containers are allowed, cans only. No large receptacles that hold multiple individual servings are allowed. Fans must be 21 years of age to consume alcohol.

Is there a sun and shade map for O'Brien Field?

Not yet. We have not built a seat model for this stadium. Our sun and shade maps need a recent lidar survey and a section-by-section seating map, so we cover the bigger FBS and NFL stadiums first. We only publish seat and sun data measured from a survey of the stands as they are now, so this guide sticks to the schedule, parking and stadium policies until a newer survey is flown.

Before you go

Food: No outside food or beverages.