Denver is a finalist to host NCAA Final Four in a stadium that doesn’t exist yet
Oct 27, 2026, 3:46 PM
Denver just made the shortlist to host college basketball’s biggest weekend, and it pitched a building that won’t be ready for years. On Tuesday, the NCAA named Denver one of seven finalists to host a men’s Final Four between 2032 and 2036. The city’s bid depends on the new Broncos stadium planned for Burnham Yard. The Broncos aim to move in for the 2031 NFL season, which leaves the stadium a few years to get finished before the first possible tipoff.
“We’ve been working on this for years and are so thrilled for a chance to host the NCAA Final Four in Denver,” Mayor Mike Johnston said. He added that a new Broncos stadium “with a retractable roof and more than 50,000 seats will expand our eligibility for events like this.” That’s why the stadium matters so much. The NCAA has held its men’s Final Four in football stadiums since 1997, so Denver needs a big, covered venue to be in the running. Holding March Madness under a roof also takes Denver’s March snowstorms out of the picture.
Denver has hosted the Final Four before, back in 1990 at McNichols Sports Arena. The city also hosted regional games in 1985, 1989 and 1996. Now it’s up against Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans and Kansas City, Kansas, for five open years. Denver isn’t the only finalist betting on a stadium that hasn’t opened. Kansas City, Kansas, is pitching a new Chiefs stadium of its own.
There’s no need to book a hotel yet. NCAA staff and committee members will keep visiting the finalist cities, and each city will make its final pitch in July 2027 in Naples, Florida. The hosts will be announced after that meeting.
