What cities will host NCAA Tournament games?
As it as been for a few years now, the first stop for the NCAA Tournament will be in Dayton, Ohio, where the last eight teams selected to the tournament will participate in a so-called “play-in” game to earn their spot in the field of 64 teams. This usually includes four lesser-known mid-major conference champions. These teams are ranked as 16-seeds and the winner of their play-in game will play one of the four #1 seeds in the bracket. The other teams are usually ranked as 11 or 12 seeds and are also playing to try and be in the final bracket. These play-in games are referred to as the “First Four” because they are the first four games of the tournament, and they play at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio.
The following cities will host games in the Round of 64 and Round of 32:
Orlando, FL – Amway Center (home of the NBA’s Orlando Magic)
Birmingham, AL – Legacy Arena (where Alabama played Gonzaga earlier this season)
Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena
Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center (home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings)
Albany, NY – MVP Arena
Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum (where this year’s ACC Tournament is being played)
Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena (home of Ohio State basketball)
Denver, CO – Ball Arena (home of NBA’s Denver Nuggets)
The following cities will host games in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8:
New York City, NY – Madison Square Garden
Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena
Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center (home of Louisville basketball)
Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center (where the Big 12 Tournament is played)
The 2023 Final Four will be played in Houston, Texas, at NRG Stadium, home of the NFL’s Houston Texans. This is the fourth time Houston has hosted the Final Four, with the most recent time coming in 2016.
