NCAA Championship Weekend Heads to Indianapolis in 2026
In a major announcement, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee has selected Indianapolis as the host site for the 2026 Divisions I, II, and III men’s basketball championship games, as well as the semifinals and finals of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). This historic event will bring together three NCAA men’s basketball championships on one weekend in the same city, creating a celebration of college basketball like no other.
The Circle City gets ready to host NCAA Championship Weekend
Indianapolis was previously awarded the 2026 Men’s Final Four, which will take place on April 4 and 6, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Horizon League and IU Indy will serve as co-hosts for the premier event. The addition of the Divisions II and III championship games, as well as the NIT semifinals and finals, will bring even more excitement to the city.
The NIT semifinals will be played on Thursday night, April 2, at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse, with the title game scheduled for Sunday, April 5, at a time and venue to be announced. Sunday’s schedule will also include the Divisions II and III championship games, which will take place downtown at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
This is not the first time the NCAA has conducted its three men’s basketball championships on one weekend in the same city. The first time it occurred was in Atlanta in 2013. The three NCAA women’s basketball championships were also hosted in the same city on the same weekend in 2016 in Indianapolis, and again in Dallas in 2023.
“This will be a tremendous celebration of men’s college basketball across all three divisions in Indy,” said Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s senior vice president of basketball. “When we did this in 2013, we had nearly 8,000 fans watching the Divisions II and III championship games, and the final two nights of this year’s NIT at Hinkle Fieldhouse featured sold-out crowds of more than 9,000 fans. It will be an awesome opportunity for student-athletes at the participating schools, as well as a showcase for the legendary college basketball fans in Indiana.”
The historic Hinkle Fieldhouse will host the NIT semifinals
With this announcement, college basketball fans across the country can start making their plans to converge on Indianapolis for an unforgettable weekend of hoops action. Mark your calendars for April 2-5, 2026, and get ready to experience the thrill of NCAA Championship Weekend.
“This will be a tremendous celebration of men’s college basketball across all three divisions in Indy.” - Dan Gavitt, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball
