East–West Shrine Bowl

20th century For most of its history, the game was played in the San Francisco Bay Area, usually at San Francisco's Kezar Stadium or Stanford Stadium at Stanford University, with Pacific Bell Park/SBC Park (now Oracle Park) as a host in its final years in Northern California. For more than half of the games played in the Bay Area, entertainment was provided by the marching band from Santa Cruz High School. In January 1942, the game was played in New Orleans, due to the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This one-year relocation was based upon fears that playing the game on the West Coast could make the contest and the stadium a potential target for an additional attack. The game, originally planned for January 1 in San Francisco, was played on January 3 at Tulane Stadium, two days after the 1942 Sugar Bowl was held there. During this era, the game was not restricted to college seniors—for example, the January 1944 edition of the game featured Robert Hoernschemeyer, Dean Sensanbaugher, and Herman Wedemeyer, each then college freshmen. A similar all-star game, the North–South Shrine Game, was played in Miami from 1948 to 1973, and a final time in Pontiac, Michigan, in 1976. Logo Prior to the 50th edition of the game, contested in December 1974, a player from the Boston College Eagles, running back Mike Esposito, was photographed at Shriners Hospitals for Children in San Francisco holding the hand of a young patient while walking down a hallway—the photo was adapted as the Shrine Bowl logo. Esposito and the former patient, Nicole Urteaga, met again prior to the 100th edition of the game, played in January 2025. 21st century In 2006, the game moved to Texas, leaving the San Francisco Bay area for the first time since 1942, and was played at the Alamodome in San Antonio. In 2007, the game relocated to Houston and was played at Reliant Stadium, home of the NFL's Houston Texans, to be closer to one of the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children; Texas has two Shriner's hospitals, one in Houston and the other in Galveston. The 2008 and 2009 games were held at Robertson Stadium on the campus of the University of Houston. In 2010, the game moved to Florida, and was held at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Television coverage moved from ESPN/ESPN2 to the NFL Network, starting with the 2011 game. After two years in Orlando, the 2012 game was held at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg; it was the sixth different venue (in five cities and three states) in a span of eight contests. Starting with the January 2017 game, the NFL supplies coaching staffs for the game, drawing from assistant coaches of teams who did not advance to the NFL postseason, and the game is now officiated by NFL officials. The game is played under NFL rules, with some restrictions, such as no motion or shifts by the offense, and no stunts or blitzes by the defense. Prior to the January 2020 playing, organizers renamed the game from East–West Shrine Game to East–West Shrine Bowl. The 2021 edition of the game, which had been scheduled for January 23, was cancelled due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2021, it was announced that Allegiant Stadium would host the East–West Shrine Bowl on February 3, 2022; the game was scheduled as part of festivities for the 2022 Pro Bowl being held there the following Sunday. The game moved to Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, for its January 2024 playing. The 100th edition of the game, held in January 2025, was held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The January 2026 edition returned to Ford Center at The Star. ==Game results==

Through the January 2026 game (101 editions, 100 games played), the West leads all-time with 55 wins to the East's 40 wins, while 5 games have tied. For the December 1925 game, NCAA records list a 7–0 final score, ==MVP award==

The game first named a Most Valuable Player for the January 1945 playing (Bob Waterfield, UCLA quarterback), and named a single MVP through the December 1952 game. Starting with the January 1954 game, two MVPs are selected for each game; they receive the William H. Coffman Award for Most Outstanding Offensive Player, and the E. Jack Spaulding Award for Most Outstanding Defensive Player. Coffman was managing director of the game for 40 years, while Spaulding was one of the organizers of the inaugural playing of the game. MVPs starting with the January 2000 game are listed below. ==Canadian football invitees==

Although the game is an American football competition, a limited number of players of Canadian university football, contested under Canadian football rules, have participated since 1985. The first Canadian football participant was offensive lineman Tom Spoletini of the Calgary Dinos, who played in the January 1985 game. Usually, Canadian players on the West team come from Canada West schools, while Canadian players on the East team are from the other three Canadian conferences (Ontario University Athletics, Atlantic University Sport, and Quebec Student Sport Federation). One exception was Sean McEwen of the Calgary Dinos (a Canada West school), who played on the East squad in the 2016 game. The only Canadian team that competed under American football rules is the now-defunct Simon Fraser Red Leafs; the only Simon Fraser player to be invited to the game was Ibrahim Khan, who played in 2004. In 2024, the lone Canadian invitee was Qwan'tez Stiggers, an American who did not play college football but instead became a professional player for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. Through the 2024 game, the Calgary Dinos had the most invitees, with 13. The 2025 and 2026 games have included Canada-born invitees from US-based college programs. For the 2025 game, quarterback Kurtis Rourke was invited; a native of Ontario and a player for the Indiana Hoosiers, he was unable to participate due to injury. ==Hall of Fame==

A hall of fame was established in 2002, with additional inductees typically named in the weeks leading up to each annual playing. Through the January 2026 edition, 67 players have been named to the hall of fame. Inductees range from having played in game No. 10 (January 1935) to game No. 81 (January 2006), with game No. 48 (December 1972) having the most players honored, five. ==Pat Tillman Award==

Game organizers initiated a Pat Tillman Award in 2005, the year that Tillman was posthumously inducted to the game's hall of fame, to recognize "a player who best exemplifies character, intelligence, sportsmanship and service." ==All-Century Team==

In celebration of its 100th anniversary, the East–West Shrine Bowl announced its All-Century Team. Listed in alphabetical order: B — Herb Adderley, Michigan State OT/G — Larry Allen, Sonoma State DL — Jared Allen, Idaho State DB — Steve Atwater, Arkansas E — Raymond Berry, SMU QB — Tom Brady, Michigan LB — Robert Brazile, Jackson State OLB — Willie Brown, Temple DE — Tedy Bruschi, Arizona DL — Nick Buoniconti, Notre Dame C — Dick Butkus, Illinois DB — Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech Q — Earl "Dutch" Clark, Colorado College T — George Connor, Notre Dame B — Larry Csonka, Syracuse DT — Curley Culp, Arizona State QB — Randall Cunningham, UNLV LB — Fred Dean, Louisiana Tech OT — Joe DeLamielleure, Michigan State T — Dan Dierdorf, Michigan E — Mike Ditka, Pittsburgh DL — Chris Doleman, Pittsburgh B — Bill Dudley, Virginia Q — Tony Dungy, Minnesota T — Albert Glen "Turk" Edwards, Washington State T — Carl Eller, Minnesota Q — John Elway, Stanford OB — Brett Favre, Southern Mississippi E — Tom Fears, UCLA B — Jim Finks, Tulsa G — Dan Fortmann, Colgate RB — Eddie George, Ohio State B — Frank Gifford, UCLA DT — La’Roi Glover, San Diego State DT — Joe Greene, North Texas T — Forrest Gregg, SMU OL — Russ Grimm, Pittsburgh B — John Hadl, Kansas LB — Jack Ham, Penn State DB — Mike Haynes, Arizona State E — Bill Hewitt, Michigan B — Clarke Hinkle, Bucknell B — Paul Hornung, Notre Dame LB — Rickey Jackson, Pittsburgh H — Jimmy Johnson, Santa Clara G — Jerry Kramer, Idaho B — Paul Krause, Iowa T — Bob Lilly, TCU G — Tom Mack, Michigan E — John Mackey, Syracuse OL — Logan Mankins, Fresno State G — Gino Marchetti, USF B — Ollie Matson, USF B — George McAfee, Duke T — Mike McCormack, Kansas OL — Randall McDaniel, Arizona State B — Hugh McElhenny, Washington WR — Art Monk, Syracuse B — Lenny Moore, Penn State T — Bronko Nagurski, Minnesota FB — Lorenzo Neal, Fresno State T — Merlin Olsen, Utah State DE — Alan Page, Notre Dame H — Ace Parker, Duke G — Jim Parker, Ohio State RB — Walter Payton, Jackson State E — Pete Pihos, Indiana G — Les Richter, UC Berkeley WR — Andre Rison, Michigan State OT — Willie Roaf, Louisiana Tech OC — Jeff Saturday, North Carolina B — Gale Sayers, Kansas WR — Sterling Sharpe, South Carolina WR — Shannon Sharpe, Savannah State OG — Will Shields, Nebraska WR — Steve Smith, Utah G — Dick Stanfel, San Francisco B — Roger Staubach, Navy TE — Ernie Stautner, Boston College C — Dwight Stephenson, Alabama T — Joe Stydahar, West Virginia B — Charley Taylor, Arizona State LB — Lawrence Taylor, North Carolina MLB — Zach Thomas, Texas Tech OLB — Pat Tillman, Arizona State C — Clyde "Bulldog" Turner, Hardin–Simmons CB/DB — Troy Vincent, Wisconsin DE — Mike Vrabel, Ohio State B — Doak Walker, SMU B — Paul Warfield, Ohio State — Bob Waterfield, UCLA C — Mike Webster, Wisconsin T — Arnie Weinmeister, Washington WR — Wes Welker, Texas Tech DT — Randy White, Maryland OL — Andrew Whitworth, LSU Q — Doug Williams, Grambling State B — Larry Wilson, Utah TE — Kellen Winslow, Missouri C — Alex Wojciechowicz, Fordham ==Notes==