Razorback Stadium lighting upgrade arrives before 2026 season

A new era is starting for Arkansas football and it comes with a new look for the stadium itself.

Ryan Silverfield will lead his first preseason camp on Aug. 5, and the Razorbacks will open the regular season at home against North Alabama on Sept. 5 at 3:15 p.m. on the SEC Network.

Night football will be a big part of the fall schedule too.

Tulsa visits Fayetteville in Week 3 for a 7 p.m. kickoff, and Tennessee and Missouri could both play under the lights, with start windows set for somewhere between 2:30 and 7 p.m.

South Carolina’s trip to Arkansas will likely start or finish at night as well. Only the home games against Georgia and LSU are locked in for an 11 a.m. or noon kickoff.

Whatever time the Hogs kick off, fans will be watching a very different stadium than in past seasons. Arkansas is rolling out a major lighting overhaul at Razorback Stadium in time for the opener.

What’s changing inside Razorback Stadium

The centerpiece of the project is Musco’s Show-Light Pro entertainment system paired with its SportsCluster Lighting System. Crews are installing more than 250 new LED lights along with eight Clubmax 40 lasers around the stadium bowl.

Arkansas is also putting in a new audio system that the athletic department is calling state-of-the-art.

The upgraded control system can run custom logo projections along with laser effects and full show programming. Pregame walkouts, big defensive stops and momentum swings could all get a new visual treatment fans in Fayetteville haven’t experienced before.

Athletic director Hunter Yurachek explained the thinking behind the project.

“We’re excited to add these new LED lights along with a laser system to our game day atmosphere and experience inside Razorback Stadium,” he said. “Adding these elements along with a few more elements will enhance our game day experience for our fans while creating a hostile environment to help our team win. We can’t wait to see it all in action this fall.”

Razorbacks join small SEC group

Arkansas isn’t breaking new ground with LED lighting alone.

Alabama and Georgia kicked off that trend across the conference back in 2019, and the Razorbacks and Missouri are among the last two SEC schools to add multi-color LED capability.

Lasers are a different story. Arkansas and Auburn are believed to be the only two programs in the conference with laser systems wired directly into their stadium lighting packages.

Auburn debuted its version, also built by Musco, in 2025 against Ball State. Oklahoma uses Musco for LED lighting and leaned on an outside production company for its College Football Playoff run, but the Sooners’ setup doesn’t include lasers.

Permanent lighting itself is a fairly recent addition at Razorback Stadium. Lights weren’t installed until 1989, and before then, night games for Arkansas were played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

The stadium’s first night game came on Nov. 11, 1989, a 19-10 win over Baylor.

Key takeaways

• Ryan Silverfield opens his first fall camp on Aug. 5 before Arkansas hosts North Alabama on Sept. 5.
• The stadium’s new system includes more than 250 LED lights and eight Clubmax 40 lasers built by Musco.
• Only Auburn joins Arkansas among SEC programs with a laser system wired into its stadium lighting.