Birmingham wins the bid to host the first rounds of Men's March Madness in 2028

Men's March Madness is coming back to Birmingham.

The NCAA announced today that it has awarded the First and second rounds of 2028 Division I men's basketball in The Magic City at Legacy Arena. The games will be played March 16-19, 2028.

The tournament is hosted by the Southeastern Conference and Knight Eady.

“We are proud to showcase our city and our facilities to visiting athletes, teams and fans in the coming years. The SEC and Knight Eady were instrumental in bringing the NCAA Championships back to Birmingham. Consistent hosting of these championships means a lot to our city and the college basketball fan community in Birmingham.

Mayor Randall Woodfin

In 2025, Birmingham will host Women's March Madness

Birmingham last hosted the first rounds of The Big Dance in 2023 to a sell-out crowd. In 2025, the city will welcome the NCAA Women's March Madness Regional.

“The Southeastern Conference will be proud to host the 2028 Division I men’s basketball first and second rounds and bring the best in men’s basketball to the city of Birmingham. We look forward to working with the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and Knight Eady to provide student-athletes and fans an unforgettable championship experience.”

Greg Sankey, SEC Commissioner

Becoming a college basketball hotspot

The Magic City is quickly becoming a college basketball hotspot. This month, the University of Alabama and Wake Forest University will play a preseason game at Boutwell Auditorium to benefit Children's of Alabama.

On November 20, the Tide return to play in the annual CM Newton Classic against Illinois at Legacy Arena.

Both UAB and Samford made it to the NCAA men's tournament in 2024.

Are you excited for March Madness to come to The Magic City in 2025 and 2028? Tell us about your favorite basketball games played in Birmingham over the years by tagging us on social media at @.bhamnow!