The Jaguars Are Playing the 2027 Season in Orlando, and Here's Why That's Actually Kind of Genius

The Jacksonville Jaguars got the green light Tuesday to play their entire 2027 home schedule in Orlando while EverBank Stadium undergoes a massive renovation back home. NFL owners unanimously approved the move at the league's annual meeting in Phoenix, and honestly, it's a pretty creative solution to keep the team competitive while the construction wraps up.

A $1.4 Billion Facelift Means Temporary Relocation

Here's the situation: EverBank Stadium is in the final year of a $1.4 billion renovation project. Rather than squeeze the Jaguars out entirely, the NFL approved them to call Camping World Stadium in Orlando home for the 2027 season. The stadium seats 65,000 and has hosted six Pro Bowls since 2017, most recently in 2025, so it's not exactly some second-rate setup.

The best part? The Jaguars stay based in Jacksonville during the week. They'll just make the approximately 150-mile trip south for games. It's weird, but it works. The team keeps its home operations intact while giving the stadium the time it needs to finish the job right.

Khan and Jacksonville Are All In on This Renovation

Owner Shad Khan and the city of Jacksonville are splitting the entire $1.4 billion tab, with each side putting up $625 million. The city also ponied up an additional $150 million over the 2025-26 seasons for maintenance and repairs to get the stadium stadium-ready for construction. That means Jacksonville is covering 55% of the total cost.

Khan is handling cost overruns and paying for 80.4% of game-day expenses, so he's got serious skin in the game. The Jacksonville City Council voted 14-1 back in June 2024 to green-light the deal, and NFL owners unanimously approved the whole package in October 2024. Construction kicked off right after that.

GM Sees Opportunity in the Chaos

Jaguars general manager James Gladstone framed the Orlando situation as "an exciting opportunity" to reach a part of Florida they wouldn't normally tap into. He's right. Yes, it's unconventional. But sometimes a challenge like this breeds growth. The Jaguars have the 2026 season to prepare, so when 2027 rolls around, they'll be ready to make it work.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.