SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team earned a bid into the NCAA Championship for the 25th time in program history as announced by the NCAA on Monday afternoon. The winner will advance to take on No. 14-seeded Akron on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. ET in Akron.
The Irish will travel to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan on Thursday at U-M Soccer Stadium in the opening round of the tournament. The match will air on ESPN+.
Notre Dame (8-6-4) is making its fifth NCAA Championship appearance under McFarland Family Men’s Head Soccer Coach Chad Riley. The Irish will be playing in the NCAA Championship for the 21st time in the last 25 seasons.
The Irish are 23-21-7 (.520) all-time in NCAA Championship play. Notre Dame has advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 on 12 occasions, the national quarterfinals six times (2006, 2007, 2013, 2018, 2021, 2023), the College Cup three times (2013, 2021, 2023) and claimed the national championship during the program’s inaugural NCAA College Cup appearance in 2013.
Notre Dame has faced seven other qualifiers this season, entering 2025 NCAA tournament play.
Following Thursday’s first round and Sunday’s second round games, the NCAA Championship continues with third round matchups on Nov. 29 or 30 at campus sites. The national quarterfinals will follow on Dec. 5 or 6 at campus venues. The 2025 NCAA College Cup will be contested on Dec. 12 (national semifinals) and Dec. 15 (national final) at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, live on ESPNU.