The NCAA has decided on two regions for the women’s basketball tournament through at least 2028. Las Vegas and Philadelphia will host two regionals for 2027 and Portland, Oregon, and Washington will be the sites for the 2028 Sweet 16.
The NCAA switched to a two-region format in 2023. It will be the first time Philadelphia has hosted a women’s regional championship game since 2011, and the first time the Wells Fargo Center has hosted a women’s championship game since the 2000 Final Four.
Since the NCAA has two regional tournament sites for its Division I women’s basketball tournament instead of four, each site hosts a total of two bracket games.
Officer #MarchMadness first round sites and 2027 and 2028 hosts 🙌
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) October 2, 2024
“The selection of Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland, and Washington DC to host the 2027 and 2028 regional championships underscores the incredible growth of the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship,” said NCAA vice president of women’s basketball Lynn Holzman.
“These cities, known as sports infrastructures, have a proven track record of hosting successful events and have the necessary infrastructure to support the growing competition and its two-zone regional format. We extend our gratitude to all bid cities for their participation and look forward to building momentum for women’s basketball.”
Las Vegas will host the NCAA women’s basketball tournament for the first time since 1991 and Washington since 1997.
Additionally, it is the first time Las Vegas has hosted the women’s tournament since 1991 and Washington since 1997. Philadelphia will be hosting its first regional since 2011 and fifth overall. Portland hosted the regional game last year.
“[Washington] it’s better, it’s a big sports city and, the consistency of success we’ve had. It will be well attended,” said Maryland coach Brenda Frese. “I think it makes it a lot more fun. … I think it’s been great how they’ve been able to make these two areas work.”
Other NCAA Final Four sites include Tampa, Florida (2025), Phoenix (2026), Columbus, Ohio (2027), Indianapolis (2028), San Antonio, Texas (2029), and Dallas (2031). Next year’s sites are Birmingham, Alabama, and Spokane, Washington. The 2026 sites are Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, California.
🚨 ANNOUNCED 🚨
2027 and 2028 NCAA DI Women’s Soccer Region Sites.#NCAAWB #NCAAHost pic.twitter.com/HJ4FtNPodV
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) October 2, 2024
Meanwhile, the men’s NCAA Tournament will have Kansas City, New York, San Antonio, and Los Angeles hosting regionals in 2027. The following year, Raleigh, North Carolina, Detroit, Dallas, and San Francisco will serve as hosts.
Dayton will continue to host the First Four until 2028. Including the preliminary rounds, the men’s tournament will spread across the country in 25 cities in 18 states for the 2027 and 2028 tournaments.
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