ESPN Events and the Orlando Sports Foundation on Tuesday announced the 2023 Cure Bowl will be played at FBC Mortgage Stadium on the UCF campus.

The 2023 Cure Bowl which raises money for cancer research, kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16 on ABC.

This year’s game will mark two firsts. It will be the first Cure Bowl played on ABC and the first time FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando has hosted an NCAA-sanctioned bowl game.

“We are excited about the Cure Bowl’s partnership with UCF and bringing a postseason bowl game to FBC Mortgage Stadium,” said Alan Gooch, Orlando Sports Foundation CEO and Cure Bowl Executive Director. “The ability to directly inform Knight Nation about the bowl’s ties to UCF College of Medicine’s cancer research is a unique opportunity to further the Orlando Sports Foundation’s mission of bringing teams together to find a cure for cancer.”

In the fall of 2007, UCF debuted an on-campus stadium, forever changing the college football experience in Orlando. It was a game-changing moment for a group of community leaders and philanthropists as well.

These pioneers developed a vision to create a one-of-a-kind bowl game tied directly to a charitable cause. With that goal in mind on May 28, 2008, they introduced the Orlando Sports Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to funding cancer research.

Six years later in the spring of 2014, OSF gave Orlando its third college bowl game. On Dec. 19, 2015, San Jose State beat Georgia State 27-16 in the inaugural Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium.

With the Cure Bowl as a platform, OSF has raised $4.1 million for cancer research since 2015. The Central Florida community has benefitted directly: Dr. Annette Khaled at the UCF College of Medicine received nearly 1.6 million for her cancer research from the funds raised by the game.

“We are thrilled that the Cure Bowl is coming to FBC Mortgage Stadium on our UCF campus in December,” said Terry Mohajir, UCF Director of Athletics. “It’s my belief and experience that for college football programs Orlando is a premiere destination, if not the destination, for a postseason bowl game.”

“It’s also appropriate that the proceeds from this game benefit cancer research that takes place right here on the UCF campus.”

UCF has been a key contributor to the Cure Bowl’s success. More than 100 UCF alums have served on the OSF board of directors, advisory board, volunteers and staff. All of these individuals helped elevate the organization’s mission of bringing teams together to find a cure for cancer, while supporting UCF’s College of Medicine and Cancer Research Center.

The 2023 Cure Bowl matchup will be revealed on Dec. 3.

For the latest news anhd information from throughout Central Florida, here at eral public tickets will go on sale later this fall. For more information, visit CureBowl.com.

For the latest news and information from throughout Central Florida, here at Gotta Go Orlando we keep you informed throughout the day, every day.

You can also keep up to date with us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel, for the best of Orlando.