Denver named finalist to host a men’s Final Four between 2032 and 2036
The NCAA has narrowed its host search to seven cities for five future men’s Final Fours. Denver’s selection advances its bid, with decisions expected after presentations in July 2027.
Denver was named on October 27 as one of seven finalist cities to host a men’s NCAA Final Four between 2032 and 2036, putting the Colorado city in contention for its first such event since 1990. The NCAA is choosing hosts for five years, but has not awarded Denver a championship.
Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Kansas, Las Vegas, Nashville and New Orleans are the other finalists. The Fort Collins Coloradoan reported that the seven cities remain in contention for the five host years. The NCAA has not specified which year any finalist might host.
How the NCAA will choose the 2032–36 hosts
NCAA staff and committee members will evaluate the cities through meetings, site visits and additional submitted materials. Representatives from each city are scheduled to present to the basketball committee at its summer meeting in Naples, Florida, in July 2027. The hosts will be announced after those meetings, according to the NCAA’s finalist announcement.
Martin Newton, the incoming chair of the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, said a record number of cities expressed interest. He said the finalists offer a mix of experienced hosts and potential newcomers, and that their competition venues, hotels and infrastructure will be considered. The NCAA did not identify a proposed Denver venue in its announcement.
Denver’s Final Four history and the other bids
Denver previously hosted the men’s Final Four in 1990. Among the current finalists, the NCAA identifies Nashville as seeking its first men’s Final Four. Las Vegas already has the 2028 event, while Indianapolis hosted the championship in 2026 and is due to stage its 10th in 2029.
The women’s basketball committee separately named Detroit, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Phoenix and San Antonio as finalists for the 2032–36 women’s Final Fours. That list does not include Denver. Both committees also discussed holding the men’s and women’s events at one site on the same weekend, but neither currently supports that arrangement. NCAA staff will study whether it could work in 2037 or later.
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Sources and context
- College basketball Final Four in Colorado? It could be comingThe Coloradoan, republished by Yahoo Sports
- Division I basketball committees select finalists for 2032-36 Final Four sitesNCAA.org
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.