MADISON, Wis. (WFRV) – According to reports and word from the Wisconsin Badgers athletic director, head coach Luke Fickell will return to coach the Badgers football team in 2026.
ESPN’s College Football Senior Writer Pete Thamel has reported that Fickell will remain at the helm of the Badgers football program for the remainder of this season and to begin the next season.
Amid a tumultuous 2025 season that has the Badgers sitting at 2-6 and 0-5 in Big Ten play, UW-Madison’s athletic director, Chris McIntosh, has reportedly stated that Fickell will be returning.
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Fickell was hired on November 27, 2022, and has an overall record of 15-19 (8-15). Despite recent struggles, Wisconsin’s AD has backed Fickell numerous times.
Fcikell’s contract with the Badgers has him remaining in Madison through 2031. Reports indicate that if Fickell is fired, Wisconsin would owe him roughly $25 million, or 80% of the remaining amount on his contract.
Thamel also reported that the move comes with a “significant increase in financial investment.”
The Badgers have four remaining Big Ten matchups in 2025 in Washington, Indiana, Illinois, and Minnesota. They would need to win out in order to be bowl eligible, generally.
