FOX Sports and AEG Announce Official Dates for the 2026 College Basketball Crown With Elite Eight-Team Field - Fox Sports Press Pass
LOS ANGELES, CA (July 21, 2025) – Following a hugely successful inaugural tournament, FOX Sports and AEG today announced the official dates for the 2026 College Basketball Crown. The elite post-season college hoops tournament delivered compelling matchups, impressive viewership and a captivating championship run by Nebraska – becoming a must-see competition showcasing elite programs that narrowly miss NCAA Tournament selection.
In 2026, the College Basketball Crown will take place April 1–5 at both the MGM Grand Garden Arena as well as T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and air on FOX and FS1. Year two features a newly streamlined eight-team field and continued support from its first-year brand partners.
The 2026 field will feature the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12, and BIG EAST conferences that do not receive NCAA Tournament bids, plus two wild card teams selected by committee. The 2026 College Basketball Crown quarterfinals will take place Wednesday, April 1 and Thursday, April 2 at MGM Grand Garden Arena, with T-Mobile Arena hosting the semifinals Saturday, April 4 and the championship matchup Sunday, April 5.
'We launched the College Basketball Crown to create more opportunities for elite competition during the thrilling college basketball post-season – and we saw an incredible response from fans, conferences, and players for the inaugural tournament,' said Jordan Bazant, Executive Vice President, FOX Sports, and board member of the College Basketball Crown. 'We look forward to building on that momentum this spring by delivering high stakes matchups between top teams throughout the competition on FOX and FS1.'
The new eight-team format reflects a strategic refinement, designed to deliver stronger matchups, enhanced fan experiences, and continued commercial success across every stage of the tournament.
'The College Basketball Crown has already proven to be a premium, athlete-first post-season platform that delivers for schools, our brand partners, and fans,' said Nick Baker, President and COO of AEG Global Partnerships and board member of the College Basketball Crown. 'We're proud to continue this tournament alongside FOX Sports and our partners and we look forward to raising the bar once again in 2026 with top-tier talent, world-class venues, and continued innovation.'
Additionally, inaugural-year partners are continuing their support for the 2026 tournament, including: Vivid Seats – Official Ticketing Provider
– Official Ticketing Provider GHOST® – Founding Partner and Official Energy Drink and Hydration Partner
– Founding Partner and Official Energy Drink and Hydration Partner JSX – Founding Partner and Official Air Carrier
– Founding Partner and Official Air Carrier Circa Resort & Casino – Founding Partner and Official Host Hotel
– Founding Partner and Official Host Hotel MGM Resorts International – Official Partner
The College Basketball Crown also continues to drive innovation in name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities for student-athletes, with new enhancements expected to be announced in the lead-up to next year's tournament.
Additional announcements regarding ticket sales, broadcast talent, new partners, team selection and more will follow in the coming months.
For more information on the College Basketball Crown, visit: https://collegebasketballcrown.com.
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