American Athletic Conference Announces Host Venues for 2026-28 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships

IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference directors of athletics have approved the venues and host cities for the American Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships for the next three seasons.

The 2026 Championships will be held at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama. The 2027 and 2028 championships will be held at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.

Both venues will host the American championships for the first time.

“We are thrilled to bring our basketball championships to Birmingham and Tampa,” said American Athletic Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti. “Our top priority when we began this bid process was to deliver the best possible experience for our student-athletes. The ability of Birmingham and Tampa to accommodate both championships and the year-round support that we will receive from their respective local committees will help to make these events an unforgettable experience for our players and fans.” 

Legacy Arena at the BJCC is an 18,000-capacity arena that hosts national and international touring concerts, productions and sporting events each year and underwent a $125 million modernization in 2021. Most recently, the venue hosted the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Regionals and the 2025 SEC Women’s Gymnastics Championships. The arena previously hosted the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds and will host that event again in 2028.

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome the American Athletic Conference to Legacy Arena,” said Tad Snider, executive director & CEO of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. “With the recent NCAA Women’s Regionals, the 2023 Men’s First and Second Rounds, and another set of Men’s Rounds scheduled for 2027, Birmingham has firmly established itself as a premier destination for championship basketball. We’re proud to showcase our vibrant city and world-class venue, and we look forward to delivering an unforgettable experience for student-athletes, fans, and the entire American Athletic Conference community.” 

The Yuengling Center hosts more than 300 events each year, including sporting events, concerts and family shows. It includes a 10,500-seat arena and has undergone more than $43 million in renovations since 2000. The Tampa Bay area has hosted the 1999 NCAA Men’s Final Four, four NCAA Women’s Final Fours (2008, 2015, 2019, 2025), NCAA Men’s First and Second Rounds (1983, 2003, 2008, 2011) and NCAA Men’s Regional Semifinals and Finals (1998). 

“Tampa Bay has a rich tradition for hosting amazing college basketball events and this announcement in tandem with our friends at the American Athletic Conference, is an exciting next chapter for us,” said Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. “Coming off the heels of our record-setting fourth NCAA Women’s Final Four in April and in anticipation of hosting the 2026 NCAA Men’s First and Second Rounds next March, our community is ready to roll out the red carpet for the members of the American Athletic Conference for an exciting run of men’s and women’s championship basketball at the Yuengling Center.” 

The American’s membership in men’s and women’s basketball includes UAB, Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, North Texas, Rice, South Florida, Temple, UTSA, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State. The American has produced four NCAA championship teams in basketball (three women, one men) as well as two Men’s Final Four teams, six Women’s Final Four teams and an NIT championship team. Five current members of The American (Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Temple, Wichita State) have reached the Final Four in men’s basketball, most recently Florida Atlantic in 2023.