Future Men's March Madness Host Cities: A Look at Future Venues for the NCAA Tournament

The 2026 postseason is in full swing, but here's what lies ahead.

It's that time of year once again. | David DelPoio/The Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NCAA tournament is upon us once again, with the most exciting postseason tournament in American sports ready to grace basketball fans with its presence.

The 2026 NCAA tournament will conclude this year in Indianapolis, where Lucas Oil Stadium is set to host the Final Four and national championship game for the fourth time, while the city of Indianapolis will play host to the final weekend of college basketball for the ninth time in the history of the tournament.

But where will the NCAA tournament be held in future years? Here's a detailed look at future host cities that have been announced for the early rounds of the tournament, as well as the Final Four.

How Are Cities Chosen to Host March Madness?

There are a few specific considerations given to cities prior to scheduling NCAA tournament games.

Venue Requirements: The NCAA requires that arenas planning to host men's March Madness games be fit to a specific capacity. For first and second round games, arenas in host cities must have at least 10,000 seats. For Sweet 16 and Elite 8 rounds, venues in host cities must be able to hold at least 15,000 fans. The Final Four seating capacity requirements jump considerably, which is why the games are generally played in indoor football stadiums. The NCAA prefers to hold Final Four contests in arenas that hold at least 60,000 fans.

City Infrastructure: The NCAA also considers hotel accommodations, local restaurants, and public transportation options for fans traveling to the area for the games to ensure that the overall experience is as enjoyable as possible for fans visiting the host city.

Previous Experience: Previous positive experiences hosting NCAA tournament games are always a plus for the NCAA when evaluating potential host cities. If a city has been successful in the past welcoming basketball fans to the city for March Madness contests, they will be seriously considered once again in the future.

Geography: The NCAA tournament is separated by regionals, so a variety of cities positioned in different time zones each year are a key part of the process. The NCAA annually chooses cities in the East, Midwest, South and West to host March Madness contests, especially early in the tournament.

Where Will March Madness Be Held in the Coming Years?

The one guarantee each year is that the First Four will by held in Dayton, Ohio. The city has played host to the men's First Four since tournament expansion from 64 to 68 teams in 2011, which is the opening round of four play-in games to the first round's field of 64.

Dayton played a significant role in the NCAA tournament even before the field expanded. The city had previously hosted first round games from '01-'11 when the field was 64 teams.

Men's March Madness Host Cities for 2027

Here are the cities that are tabbed to host men's NCAA tournament games in 2027.

Round	Date	City	Arena
First Four	March 16, 17	Dayton	UD Arena
First/Second	March 18, 20	Pittsburgh	PPG Paints Arena
First/Second	March 18, 20	Omaha	CHI Health Center
First/Second	March 18, 20	Fort Worth	Dickies Arena
First/Second	March 18, 20	Spokane	Numerica Veterans Arena
First/Second	March 19, 21	Charlotte	Spectrum Center
First/Second	March 19, 21	Minneapolis	Target Center
First/Second	March 19, 21	Louisville	KFC Yum! Center
First/Second	March 19, 21	Sacramento	Golden 1 Center
South Regional	March 25, 27	San Antonio	Frost Bank Center
West Regional	March 25, 27	Los Angeles	Crypto.com Arena
Midwest Regional	March 26, 28	Kansas City, Mo.	T-Mobile Center
East Regional	March 26, 28	New York	Madison Square Garden

Men's March Madness Host Cities for 2028

Here are the cities that are tabbed to host men's NCAA tournament games in 2028.

Round	Date	City	Arena
First Four	March 14, 15	Dayton	UD Arena
First/Second	March 16, 18	Tulsa	BOK Center
First/Second	March 16, 18	Orlando	Kia Center
First/Second	March 16, 18	Columbus	Nationwide Arena
First/Second	March 16, 18	Salt Lake City	Delta Center
First/Second	March 17, 19	Brooklyn	Barclays Center
First/Second	March 17, 19	Des Moines	Casey's Center
First/Second	March 17, 19	Birmingham	Legacy Arena
First/Second	March 17, 19	Seattle	Climate Pledge Arena
East Regional	March 23, 25	Raleigh	Lenovo Center
West Regional	March 23, 25	San Francisco	Chase Center
Midwest Regional	March 24, 26	Detroit	Little Caesars Arena
South Regional	March 24, 26	Dallas	American Airlines Center

Future Final Four Host Cities

While the host cities for men's March Madness have yet to be announced beyond 2028, the Final Four locations have already been selected through 2031. Here's where the biggest college basketball weekend of the year will be heading in '27 and beyond, which includes a first-time host in Las Vegas for '28.

Year	Date	City	Arena
2027	April 3, 5	Detroit	Ford Field
2028	April 1, 3	Las Vegas	Allegiant Stadium
2029	March 31, April 2	Indianapolis	Lucas Oil Stadium
2030	April 6, 8	Dallas	AT&T Stadium
2031	April 5, 7	Atlanta	Mercedes-Benz Stadium

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