Here’s how to see UM play in the national championship for free in Coral Gables
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What to know about the Canes-Hoosiers game
Tickets, transporation, parking, watch parties and fan events.
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Are you looking for a place to watch the Miami Hurricanes play in the national championship?
How about right in the Canes’ backyard?
The city of Coral Gables, home to the University of Miami, is partnering with The Plaza Coral Gables to host a free family-friendly watch party at Ponce Circle Park, 2810 Ponce de Leon Blvd., for the highly anticipated showdown between the Miami Hurricanes and the Indiana Hoosiers.
The park is right across the street from The Plaza. You may know it as the park that drew crowds in 2023 when it featured the Instagrammable large detailed moon artwork “Museum of the Moon” by U.K. artist Luke Jerram. Mayor Vince Lago brought up the idea of hosting the watch party during this week’s City Commission meeting, saying he wanted to give fans an affordable way to gather and support the team.
And City Hall is already repping the U . The historic building is being lit up in UM’s colors of orange and green through Monday night.
Monday’s celebration in Ponce Circle Park starts at 5 p.m., with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. You may want to get there early to set up your lawn chairs and picnic blankets to watch the game on a 22-by-16-feet screen, provided by the Plaza. Expect to see vendors selling popcorn, soda and other snacks at the park.
Families can bring their own food or eat at one of the many restaurants that are part of the Plaza complex. There are a lot of other restaurants around the Gables to pick from, too.
Coral Gables parking for UM national championship watch party
Unlike Hard Rock Stadium’s pricey parking, you won’t have to worry about any event parking fees in the Gables. The city said all of its garages and meter parking will charge regular rates, as if it’s a typical Monday night. People can also get around using rideshares, the city’s free trolley or by ordering a free ride through Freebee, an electric car service founded by UM graduates that has partnered with the Gables and several other South Florida cities.
Some tips:
- People can pay for meter parking with their app of choice: PayByPhone or ParkMobile. Gables residents enrolled in the city’s residential parking program get a discount. There’s a lot of street parking near Ponce Circle Park, by the way.
- Metrorail users can take a city trolley from Douglas Metrorail Station all the way to Ponce Circle Park.
- Trolley and Freebee users, take note. While you can use the free services to get to the watch party, you may need to find another way to get home after the game. Freebee operates until 9 p.m., with the city’s trolley operating until 10 p.m.
- Not sure if you can make it to the Gables? There are tons of other watch parties happening around South Florida to watch the UM vs. IU game.
If you go
What: Coral Gables watch party for the Miami Hurricanes vs. Indiana Hoosiers national championship game
When: Monday, Jan. 19. Grounds open at 5 p.m., kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ponce Circle Park, 2810 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
Cost: Free.
This story was originally published January 16, 2026 at 11:25 AM.
