OSU has opened restricted family-only practices to fans before, calling them ‘FanFest’ events. In 2023, its first FanFest sold out in 75 minutes at $30 per ticket. To address this high fan demand, in 2026, the Buckeyes will bring exciting offers to allow fans into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center for the fourth consecutive year.

On Tuesday, June 9, Ohio State Football announced the school will open this season’s first three practices of the preseason training camps for fans starting from August 6 to 8, 2026. While gates will open to the public at 8:00 AM for each session, on-field practice windows at 9:00 AM conclude with player-fan interactions at 12:00 PM.

This season, general admission tickets are $48 per day, and VIP admission is $143 per day with premium viewing areas under a shaded tent and refreshments. However, admission for children under the age of two is free. Through Ticketmaster, you can buy tickets that went on sale on June 9, 2026.

OSU limits orders to eight tickets per person due to facility capacity constraints. However, programs like Texas give free admission to their open summer fan sessions, refusing to turn them into an NIL fundraising system. Like OSU, Nebraska uses a ticketed system.

The tickets should sell out quickly, considering previous records. Last season, the Buckeyes had a tiered strategy: $30 for early birds to $45. This season, OSU raised prices from $30 (early bird 2025) to $48.

For 2026, Ryan Day’s Ohio State will follow the same format as 2025. After three open practices out of 25 summer practices, OSU officially opens its 2026 season at home on September 5. However, with fans’ engagement in practice, players will get an environment like GameDay, and that’s important to the Ohio State head coach.

This season, the Buckeyes are chasing a national title following their falling short in 2025.

Ohio State’s 2026 expectations

Ohio State enters this season as a consensus co-favorite to win the 2026 national title. Oddsmakers at BetMGM have pinned the Buckeyes at +600 to +700 odds. Even the OSU QB Julian Sayin set clear expectations for 2026.

“That’s something [beating Michigan] we needed to get done, but there’s still more,” said Sayin in May 2026. “We want to put another one of these banners up. The standard at Ohio State is to win every game. We’ve seen what the players that came before us have done, and it’s our responsibility to uphold that standard.”

While bringing another title like a 2024 victory is Ohio State’s aim, the head coach is building a title-winning class for the future by setting a standard for recruitment.

“Across the board at Ohio State, there’s an expectation when you come here: you’re coming to be a first- or second-rounder, regardless of your position,” said Day. “Just like, if we don’t win games and championships, they’re going to find a new coach. Well, if you’re not a first- or second-rounder, then this probably is not the right place for you.”