Quick answers
What time do the FAU lots open?
All parking lots open 4 hours before kickoff, and tailgating may begin when they open. FAU's 2026 game-week guides repeat the same 4-hour rule.
Can you grill at FAU tailgates?
FAU's stadium guide doesn't post a grill rule for the public lots. The student tailgate rules say charcoal must be fully put out and dumped in the marked bins before kickoff.
Can you drink at FAU tailgates?
Yes if you're 21 or older, and be ready to prove it. Handing out alcohol without a permit is illegal, and FAU counts alcohol left out in plain view or unattended as distribution. No alcohol goes into the stadium.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate at FAU?
FAU doesn't post a ticket rule for the lots. You do need a parking pass or a game-day lot, and a ticket to get into the stadium, with no re-entry.
How do you buy parking at FAU?
Buy ahead on fausports.com or by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS. Donor and RV parking are sold before game day only, and drive-up lots open on game day while space lasts.
The game-day timeline
- 4 hrs beforeAll parking lots open, and tailgating can start
- 3 hrs beforeGame-day shuttles start running between the lots and the stadium
- 2.5 hrs beforePublix Paradise Plaza fan zone opens (per the 2026 game guides)
- 2 hrs 15 min beforeOwl Walk through the student tailgates in Lot 5 to Gate 5
- 2 hrs beforeClub, loge and cabana gate (Gate 1A) opens
- 90 min beforeGeneral gates open
Where to park
Buy parking before game day if you can. FAU pushes it in every game guide, and donor and RV lots are advance only.
- Drive-up lots
- Lots 1, 2, 10, 12, 14, 15, 18, 25, 27 and 28 sell on game day, while space lasts. Signs and message boards point the way.
- Donor lots
- Red, blue, purple, silver, copper and yellow permits. Follow the directions on the back of your permit.
- Students
- Student tailgates are in Lot 5, north of the stadium.
- RV and buses
- Lot 5A, the Tarmac, northeast of Lot 5. Advance purchase only.
- Accessible
- Garage 3 is the ADA lot, with a valid permit and the permit holder in the car. ADA spaces are in every lot too.
- Rideshare
- Drop-off at Palm Beach Plaza near the Main Administration Building.
N University Dr closes in front of the stadium on game day. Come in from the outside roads to your lot.
Game-day shuttles start 3 hours before kickoff, so a far lot doesn't mean a long walk.
No car? Uber, Lyft and taxis drop off at Palm Beach Plaza by the Main Administration Building. FAU tells drivers to check FL511 for traffic before heading out.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against fausports.com and fau.edu.
FAU's posted lot rules are short. Here they are, with the student-area rules marked as such.
- When
- Lots open 4 hours before kickoff, and tailgating can start then.
- Your space
- Tents, tables, tarps and canopies can't block foot or car traffic or extend into extra spaces.
- Alcohol
- 21 and over, with proof of age. No distributing it without a permit, and don't leave it out unattended.
- Grills
- Not posted for the public lots. Student areas: charcoal fully out and in the marked bins before kickoff.
- Students
- Lot 5: no glass, kegs or party balls, inverter generators only, and everyone out 15 minutes before kickoff.
- Not allowed
- Alcohol or tobacco promotions anywhere on campus. FAU is tobacco free.
- Bags at the gate
- Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, a 1-gallon clear bag or a clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches. No coolers or umbrellas.
- Gates open
- Club and loge gates 2 hours before kickoff, general 90 minutes before. No re-entry. 1 unopened water bottle per person.
Before you go
Know Before You Go: FAU football vs. Texas Southern (Oct. 2026)A-to-Z: Flagler Credit Union Stadium2026 FAU football parking mapFAU Rat's Mouth student tailgate proceduresOfficial pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Boca Raton
What we'd bring.
-
Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair
$45
Ships free
-
27 qt Hard Cooler, 24 Cans
$199
Ships free
A hard cooler that fits the trunk and the tight space behind the car.
More for this lot
-
Daylodge AirHaven 30 Inflatable Vehicle Awning, 30 sq ft$799 · Ships free
Early-season games in Boca Raton are hot and humid, and FAU sets up cooling stations for a reason. Bring shade and water.
Gear for FAU fans
In stock now.
Where the party is
FAU tailgates in the parking lots around a stadium that sits on the north edge of campus, and the student tailgates in Lot 5 are where the team walks in. It's Boca Raton in the fall, so shade and water matter as much as the menu.
The student side
Lot 5 student tailgates
North of the stadium. The Owl Walk comes straight through here to Gate 5, about 2 hours 15 minutes before kickoff.
The fan zone
Publix Paradise Plaza
FAU's pregame zone with inflatables, food trucks, games and a pregame concert, opening about 2.5 hours before kickoff at 2026 games.
The big rigs
Lot 5A (the Tarmac)
RV and bus parking northeast of Lot 5, sold in advance only.
What to eat
Food trucks set up in Publix Paradise Plaza before every 2026 game, so you can travel light and still eat.
Getting out
Campus traffic and the closed stretch of N University Dr slow the exit. Your options, best first:
- Ride the shuttle back to your lot. Game-day shuttles run between the stadium and the outer lots.
- Meet your ride at Palm Beach Plaza. That's the official rideshare spot, by the Main Administration Building.
- Check FL511 before you pull out. FAU points drivers to the state's traffic service for road conditions.
Skip this
Bolt for the first exit you see. Along with every car on campus and a closed road in front of the stadium.
First time here?
- Lots open 4 hours before kickoff. Tailgating starts then, not before.
- Buy parking ahead on fausports.com.
- Keep your tent inside your own space.
- Catch the Owl Walk in Lot 5, about 2 hours 15 minutes out.
- Clear bag only, no umbrellas, 1 unopened water bottle.
- General gates open 90 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry.
Visiting? How to join a tailgate
Publix Paradise Plaza is FAU's open fan zone, so it's an easy first stop. Then walk the lots with something to share and say hello before you step into a setup.
Free · one page · works offline
Your Flagler Credit Union Stadium game-day sheet, by email
One page for the lot: where to park, when it opens, what you can bring.
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