Quick answers
What time does FIU tailgating open?
FIU posts a start time for each home game. In 2026 it's 6 hours before kickoff for the September games and 3.5 to 4 hours before kickoff for the October night games, with later games to be announced.
Can you grill at FIU tailgates?
FIU's 2026 pages don't post a grill rule for Tamiami Park or the Triangle Lot. Call FIU Parking and Transportation at 305-348-3615 before you bring one.
Can you drink at FIU tailgates?
FIU doesn't post an alcohol rule for the tailgate lots. No outside alcohol goes into Pitbull Stadium. Inside, fans 21 and over with ID and a wristband can buy beer and liquor until the third quarter.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate at FIU?
FIU doesn't post a ticket rule for the Cuban Memorial lot. Parking there is paid, and it's FIU's recommended spot for public parking and tailgating.
How do you buy parking at FIU?
Buy online before game day or pay in person on game day for Lot 7, the Triangle Lot or Tamiami Park. Blue Garage (PG2) and Lots 4 and 5 are free on game day, and Panther Club members at qualifying levels get parking closest to the stadium.
The game-day timeline
- 6 hrs beforeTailgating opens for the September games
- 3.5 to 4 hrs beforeTailgating opens for the October night games
- 2 hrs 15 min beforePanther Walk: the team arrives east of Tamiami Hall and walks the promenade to Gate 6
- 1 hr beforeGates open for the general public
Where to park
Tamiami Park is the place to park and tailgate. Lot 7 is closer, but it's parking only.
- Tamiami Park
- The Cuban Memorial lot, southeast of the stadium. FIU's best spot for public parking and tailgating, all season.
- Triangle Lot
- A grass lot on the west side of the stadium. Tailgating allowed.
- Lot 7
- West of the stadium. Parking only, no tailgating.
- Free
- Blue Garage (PG2) and Lots 4 and 5 on campus, free on game day. Use the general parking entrance.
- VIP lot
- South of the stadium, for Stadium Club, suite holders and disabled permits only.
- Accessible
- Lot 7 (west) and the VIP lot (south), first come, with a placard or accessible plate.
- Students
- Student tailgating is on the Tamiami Hall promenade and at Parkview Hall. No parking there.
SW 17th St is closed all season to cars and walkers because of campus construction. Check the interactive map for detours.
Paid lots are reached from the paid parking entrance on the west side; the free lots use the general parking entrance.
No car? Rideshare pick-up and drop-off is at the Wertheim Performing Arts Center, 10910 SW 17th St.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against fiusports.com and operations.fiu.edu.
FIU posts more about the stadium than the lot. Here's what's official.
- Where
- The Cuban Memorial lot in Tamiami Park and the Triangle Lot. Lot 7 is parking only. Students tailgate at Tamiami Hall and Parkview Hall.
- Tents
- Weight them down. Staking tent legs isn't allowed because of underground utilities.
- Grills
- Not posted. Ask FIU Parking and Transportation before you bring one.
- Alcohol
- Not posted for the lots. No outside alcohol into the stadium.
- Not allowed in
- Outside food and drinks, bottles, cans, coolers, umbrellas, noisemakers and backpacks.
- Bags at the gate
- One clear bag up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon clear bag, plus a hand-sized purse.
- Gates open
- 1 hour before kickoff. No re-entry.
Before you go
FIU 2026 football gameday informationFIU football parking informationPitbull Stadium policies and guidelinesFIU Operations stadium informationOfficial pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Miami
What we'd bring.
-
Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair
$45
Ships free
-
Dubler Party Cooler
$169.89
Ships free
Drinks on one side, cold food on the other, so one cooler covers the whole spread.
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Dubler Chill Boards, Set of 2
$38.89
Ships free
More for this lot
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Scorezit Cornhole Scorekeeper Set$140 · +$15 shipping
Early-season Miami is hot and humid with pop-up storms. Bring shade, tent weights and more ice than you think.
Gear for FIU fans
In stock now.
Where the party is
FIU's public tailgate spills into Tamiami Park next door, in the Cuban Memorial lot southeast of the stadium. Night kickoffs and Miami heat set the pace, and the Panther Walk pulls everyone off the grill to line the promenade.
The main lot
Cuban Memorial lot, Tamiami Park
FIU's recommended spot for general-public parking and tailgating, open for tailgating all season.
The grass option
Triangle Lot
A grass lot on the west side of the stadium where tailgating is allowed.
The moment
The Panther Walk
About 2 hours 15 minutes before kickoff, the team walks the Tamiami Hall promenade into Gate 6, with the band, cheerleaders and Dazzlers lining the way.
What to eat
Inside, the portable bars on both concourses pour draft beer, liquor and Miami Vice margaritas.
Getting out
The lots empty onto campus roads with SW 17th St closed. Your options, best first:
- Use rideshare at the Wertheim. The official pick-up spot is the Wertheim Performing Arts Center on SW 17th St.
- Park free and walk. Blue Garage (PG2) and Lots 4 and 5 use the general entrance, away from the paid-lot line.
- Bolt at the final whistle. With every car in Tamiami Park aiming for the same exit.
First time here?
- Tailgate in Tamiami Park or the Triangle Lot. Lot 7 is parking only.
- FIU posts the tailgate start time for each game.
- Weight your tent. No stakes.
- SW 17th St is closed all season.
- Catch the Panther Walk at the Tamiami Hall promenade.
- Clear bag only. Gates open 1 hour before kickoff.
Visiting? How to join a tailgate
Start in Tamiami Park, where the public tailgate is. Bring something to share and say hello before you step into a setup.
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Your Pitbull 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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