March Madness may still be nearly six months away, but the time to start planning your trip is here: ticket presales for the 2027 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament begin Wednesday, September 30, at noon Eastern.
This presale is only for selected opening, first-round, and second-round locations; others are excluded (and will take place soon), and the Sweet Sixteen and later rounds aren’t available yet.
While this is a good opportunity for fans to secure early tickets, we obviously don’t know which teams will be playing in which locations, so the main benefit to this presale is for fans who know they want to attend, regardless of who is playing. It’s especially helpful for local and regional fans who enjoy seeing the tournament.
Click here to go to the NCAA’s ticketing page and use promo code “LASTSHOT” to access the available presales. You can also register for presales for the other venues.
Where will the early rounds be played?
The 2027 tournament begins with opening-round games on March 16–17 in Dayton, Ohio, and Wichita, Kansas. Dayton’s UD Arena and Wichita’s INTRUST Bank Arena will each host three games per day.
The first and second rounds follow March 18–21 in eight cities:
- Charlotte, North Carolina: Spectrum Center
- Fort Worth, Texas: Dickies Arena (presale today)
- Louisville, Kentucky: KFC Yum! Center
- Minneapolis, Minnesota: Target Center
- Omaha, Nebraska: CHI Health Center Omaha (presale today)
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: PPG Paints Arena (presale today)
- Sacramento, California: Golden 1 Center
- Spokane, Washington: Numerica Veterans Arena (presale today)
The Sweet Sixteen and Elite 8 games will be played from March 25-28 in four cities:
- San Antonio, Texas: Frost Bank Center
- Los Angeles, California: Crypto.com Arena
- Kansas City, Missouri: T-Mobile Center
- New York, New York: Madison Square Garden
The Final Four will be held at Ford Field in Detroit on April 3 and 5.
Each location after the opening round hosts games on two days, with a day off between them—giving traveling fans time to explore the city between rounds.
A new opening-round format for 2027
If you’re accustomed to the tournament starting with the First Four in Dayton, next year will look different.
The NCAA is expanding the men’s tournament from 68 to 76 teams. The new March Madness Opening Round will feature 12 games across the two host cities, with the winners advancing to the familiar 64-team first round. That means more tournament basketball in Dayton and a new opportunity to catch the opening action in Wichita.
What to consider before buying
The biggest decision is whether you’re traveling for the tournament experience or to follow a particular team. Buying now lets you commit to a destination, but it won’t guarantee that your school will be assigned there.
Before checking out, read the ticket description carefully. An individual session and an all-session package cover different amounts of basketball, so make sure you understand exactly which games your purchase includes. Compare the full checkout price, including fees, when deciding what fits your budget.
For travel, consider booking a refundable hotel once you’ve chosen your site. Keep your schedule flexible until game times are announced, especially if you’re planning to fly home after the final session.
Doubleheader Digest
Although it’s a little early to know all of the things that will be going on in these markets during the NCAA tournament, there are a few doubleheader opportunities that are already clear:
Minneapolis: The Minnesota Wild have home games on the same days as the Tournament will be played at Target Center, and the T-Wolves will be at home the following Monday after the NCAA games are over.
Sacramento: The San Francisco Giants will play at the Sacramento River Cats on Sunday, March 21, in an exhibition game.
Los Angeles: The MLB season will have just started, and the Dodgers will be hosting the Braves on the same weekend that the Sweet Sixteen is at Crypto.com Arena. The Clippers will also have a home game at the Intuit Dome on the day before the Sweet Sixteen begins.
Kansas City: The Royals will be at home to the Minnesota Twins on the same weekend as the Sweet Sixteen is at T-Mobile Center.
New York City: it’s New York, which means there’s tons going on. Knicks, Nets, Yankees, Islanders, Devils, and Rangers will all have games between Wednesday and Monday. Take a look at our Ultimate Sports Calendar for New York to see all of your options.
