A nationwide ground stop issued by the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, has stranded multiple professional and collegiate sports teams. The decision to halt all flights nationwide has created significant uncertainty for scheduled games across the NBA, NHL, and college sports.
The FAA issued a notice stating the ground stop was due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that a communications issue was affecting 22 regional air traffic control centers responsible for directing planes between airports. While FAA technicians investigated the issue, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin stated there was no reason for travelers to be concerned about loved ones flying.
The stoppage has significantly impacted college football teams traveling for Saturday games. Among those at a standstill are No. 2 Utah, eighth-ranked Texas, and No. 9 Tennessee. The Utes are scheduled to play at No. 22 Arizona, the Longhorns are visiting No. 24 LSU, and the Vols are traveling to Texas A&M. Other affected schools include No. 19 Ole Miss, Baylor, Kansas State, Washington, and Minnesota. A team spokesman noted they are grounded while waiting to see when they can leave. If the Longhorns must travel by bus to Baton Rouge, the trip for the 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, takes approximately seven hours.
Professional sports have also faced disruptions. In the NBA, the Nets were among five teams scheduled to fly Friday for Saturday games; the team had just boarded a plane in New Orleans for Memphis when the flight was halted. The Pistons had flown to Miami earlier in the day, while the Cavaliers, Bulls, and Grizzlies were due to fly after playing Friday night. In the NHL, while the Panthers reached St. Louis before the stoppage, the Sharks were among those left waiting to leave for a game in Utah. There are 14 scheduled NHL games on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026.
While Missouri, Duke, and Texas Tech were able to take off before the stoppage, the FAA has not provided a timeline for restarting flights. This leaves the Week 10 NFL schedule and numerous other college sporting events occurring beyond Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in limbo.
