DEKALB (WREX) — Northern Illinois University has accepted an invitation for the Huskies to join the Mountain West Conference as a football only member beginning in 2026, NIU and the Mountain West announced Tuesday. The announcement came following a meeting of the NIU Board of Trustees.

Northern Illinois University’s Board of Trustees are holding a special meeting this afternoon and are expected to approve the $2 million membership fee for the school’s football team to move to the Mountain West Conference.

Northern Illinois University’s Board of Trustees will vote on whether NIU's football team will leave the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Peter Medlin

NIU has agreed to leave the MAC to join the Mountain West in football only and the NIU Board of Trustees will discuss the move this week. Here's what that move means for the Huskies.

Northern Illinois University accepted a formal invitation to join the Mountain West Conference, but one thing is left in the way of making it official.

The Mountain West Conference has announced the addition of Northern Illinois in football after the school's board of trustees approved the move on Tuesday. Northern Illinois, which will begin competing in the conference in 2026,

Northern Illinois will join the Mountain West as a football-only member in 2026, joining Air Force, Hawai'i, UNLV, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State and Wyoming.

The Mountain West Conference will have nine football-playing members for the 2026 season. Northern Illinois was officially introduced as the latest member of the conference on Tuesday. The Huskies compete in the Mid-American Conference and are still considering options for all non-football sports,