U.S. military academy football teams will play their scheduled games this weekend despite the ongoing government slimdown, according to an anonymous senior defense official.
The official told the Associated Press Wednesday that the decision affects this weekend's games only, and that future games will be evaluated as events unfold in the coming days.
The teams will be able to take the field because the games are paid for with non-appropriated funds, and have been scheduled for a long time. Army is scheduled to travel to Boston College this weekend, and Air Force will play at Navy in Annapolis, Md.
The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly so spoke on condition of anonymity.
Non-appropriated funds generally come from outside sources and are not approved through Congress.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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