All Confirmed Future NCAA Final Four Locations

Nate Cunningham | Mar 3, 2025

Allegiant Stadium will host the men's NCAA tournament Final Four in 2028. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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The Final Four is the culmination of March Madness. It manages to merge the passion of crazed collegiate sports fans with the character of its host city. Every year thousands of fans, alumni, media and athletes converge to see which men’s college basketball team will etch itself in the history books.

So it’s no surprise that the NCAA takes a lot of time weighing out options when it comes to host cities. It’s looking for a location that has the appropriate infrastructure but also one that has its own unique culture and plenty of opportunities for visitors to explore and have some fun.

Here, we’ll be taking a look at all of the currently confirmed men’s Final Four sites.

Where Is the Final Four Being Held in the Coming Years?

Year	Date	City	Arena	Host
2025	April 5, 7	San Antonio	Alamodome	UTSA, Incarnate Word
2026	April 4, 6	Indianapolis	Lucas Oil Stadium	Horizon League, IU-Indianapolis
2027	April 3, 5	Detroit	Ford Field	Michigan State
2028	April 1, 3	Las Vegas	Allegiant Stadium	UNLV
2029	March 31, April 2	Indianapolis	Lucas Oil Stadium	Horizon League, IU-Indianapolis
2030	April 6, 8	North Texas	AT&T Stadium	Big 12 Conference
2031	April 5, 7	Atlanta	Mercedes-Benz Stadium	Georgia Tech

San Antonio (2025): Returning to a Familiar Final Four Venue

There are plenty of factors which make San Antonio an ideal location. Not the least of which is the Alamodome itself. The facility meets the NCAA’s seating and amenities requirements, and the city’s central location makes it accessible for fans around the U.S.

Indianapolis (2026): A Regular Final Four Host

Not only is Lucas Oil Stadium considered one of the best stadiums in the U.S., but it shares its home with the NCAA headquarters. The city has a near-perfect downtown layout as well, meaning fans are within walking distance of hotels, eateries and other entertainment venues. Indianapolis (and the entire state of Indiana) has a rich history of basketball, making it an ideal location to celebrate the past, present and future of college hoops.

Detroit (2027): The Return of the Final Four to Ford Field

March Madness returns to Michigan in 2027. Ford Field last hosted the Final Four in '09, but a collaborative pitch from the Detroit Sports Commission, Visit Detroit, Michigan State, Ford Field and the Detroit Lions secured another hosting gig. Ford Field can seat upwards of 70,000 for basketball games and is close to various Motown history museums.

Las Vegas (2028): First-Time Final Four Host

For the first time ever, Las Vegas will host the Final Four. Allegiant Stadium is one of the newest stadiums in the U.S., opening in July 2020. Putting the Final Four next to a strip of casinos and sportsbooks seems like a match made in gambling heaven. Obviously there are plenty of other attractions for fans heading to Sin City to catch the games.

How Cities Are Selected to Host the NCAA Final Four

Bid Submission: Cities or venues submit detailed bids to the NCAA, outlining their plans, facilities, potential partnerships and capabilities for hosting the Final Four.

Venue Requirements: The NCAA requires a stadium hold 60,000+ fans and be adapted for basketball, with modern amenities and good sightlines.

Hotel and Accommodation: Cities must show they have sufficient hotels near the arena.

Transportation and Accessibility: The city needs a major airport with ample connections and robust local transportation infrastructure to handle large crowds.

Event Management Experience: The NCAA favors cities with a proven track record of hosting major sporting events or large-scale conventions, concerts, etc.

Community and Fan Engagement: Cities must demonstrate the ability to create a strong fan experience and host ancillary events like fan fests, youth clinics, concerts, etc.

Economic Impact and Support: Proposals should highlight the potential economic boost and local support from government and sponsors, which the NCAA evaluates.

Weather Considerations: Favorable weather is a plus, but not a necessity. However, the NCAA does consider the potential impact on fan experience and travel that bad weather can cause.

Site Visits and Evaluations: The NCAA may conduct site visits to assess the venue and surrounding area.

Selection Committee Review: The NCAA selection committee reviews all bids, evaluates them based on criteria and then votes to decide host cities.

Announcement and Planning: Selected cities are announced years in advance, allowing time for preparation and coordination with all involved parties.

NCAA Final Four Attendance By Year (Since 2000)

Year	City	Arena	Final Four Attendance	Title Game Attendance	Total Attendance
2000	Indianapolis	RCA Dome	43,116	43,116	86,232
2001	Minneapolis	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	45,406	45,406	90,812
2002	Atlanta	Georgia Dome	53,378	53,406	106,784
2003	New Orleans	Louisiana Superdome	54,524	54,524	109,048
2004	San Antonio	Alamodome	43,715	43,257	86,972
2005	St. Louis	Edward Jones Dome	47,262	47,262	94,524
2006	Indianapolis	RCA Dome	43,822	43,168	86,990
2007	Atlanta	Georgia Dome	53,510	51,458	104,968
2008	San Antonio	Alamodome	43,718	43,257	86,975
2009	Detroit	Ford Field	72,456	72,922	145,378
2010	Indianapolis	Lucas Oil Stadium	70,930	70,930	141,860
2011	Houston	Reliant Stadium	75,421	70,376	145,797
2012	New Orleans	Mercedes-Benz Superdome	73,361	70,913	144,274
2013	Atlanta	Georgia Dome	75,350	74,326	149,676
2014	Arlington, Texas	AT&T Stadium	79,444	79,238	158,682
2015	Indianapolis	Lucas Oil Stadium	72,238	71,149	143,387
2016	Houston	NRG Stadium	75,505	74,340	149,845
2017	Glendale, Ariz.	University of Phoenix Stadium	77,612	76,168	153,780
2018	San Antonio	Alamodome	68,257	67,831	136,088
2019	Minneapolis	U.S. Bank Stadium	72,711	72,062	144,773
2020	No Tournament
2021	Indianapolis	Lucas Oil Stadium	Limited Attendance	Limited Attendance
2022	New Orleans	Caesars Superdome	70,602	69,423	140,025
2023	Houston	NRG Stadium	73,860	72,423	146,283
2024	Glendale, Ariz.	State Farm Stadium	74,720	74,423	149,143