Birmingham wins bid to host early rounds of Men’s March Madness in 2028

Men’s March Madness is coming back to Birmingham.

The NCAA announced today it has awarded the Division I Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds for 2028 to The Magic City at Legacy Arena. The games will be played on March 16-19, 2028.

The tourney will be hosted by the Southeastern Conference and Knight Eady.

“We’re proud to show off our city and facilities to visiting student-athletes, teams and fans in the upcoming years. The SEC and Knight Eady have been instrumental in bringing NCAA Championships back to Birmingham. Consistency in hosting these championships means a lot to our city and the community of college basketball fans in Birmingham.

Mayor Randall Woodfin

Birmingham hosting Women’s March Madness in 2025

Birmingham last held the first rounds of the “The Big Dance” in 2023 to sellout crowds. 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 collaborating with the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and Knight Eady to provide student-athletes and fans with a memorable championship experience.”

Greg Sankey, SEC Commissioner

Becoming a college basketball hotspot

The Magic City is fast becoming a hotspot for college basketball. This month, the University of Alabama and Wake Forest University are playing a pre-season game at Boutwell Auditorium benefiting  Children’s of Alabama.

On November 20th the Tide returns to play against Illinois at Legacy Arena for the annual C.M. Newton Classic.

Both UAB and Samford made the NCAA Men’s tournament in 2024.

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