After a successful debut in 2025, the College Basketball Crown is set to return to Las Vegas next spring with a revamped format and continued backing from FOX Sports and AEG.
The 2026 edition of the post-season college hoops tournament will take place April 1–5, splitting action between MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena. Games will air on FOX and FS1.
Designed to spotlight top programs that narrowly miss the NCAA Tournament, the College Basketball Crown made waves in its inaugural year, highlighted by Nebraska’s championship run. For its second year, the tournament will feature a condensed eight-team field. The lineup will include the top two non-NCAA qualifying teams from the Big Ten, Big 12, and BIG EAST, along with two at-large selections made by committee.
Quarterfinal matchups will be played April 1 and 2 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The semifinals and championship game will follow at T-Mobile Arena on April 4 and 5, respectively.
“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,” Jordan Bazant, executive vice president at FOX Sports and board member of the College Basketball Crown, said in a press release.
Organizers say the streamlined format is aimed at delivering higher-quality matchups and a better fan experience, while maintaining commercial momentum from the tournament’s debut.
“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,” Nick Baker, president and COO of AEG Global Partnerships added in a statement.
Sponsors from the first year have renewed their support, including Vivid Seats as the official ticketing provider, GHOST® as the official energy drink and hydration partner, JSX as the official air carrier, Circa Resort & Casino as the official host hotel, and MGM Resorts International as an official partner.
The event also continues to explore new opportunities in name, image, and likeness (NIL) for student-athletes, with updates expected ahead of the 2026 tournament.
Further details regarding ticket availability, broadcast teams, and participating schools will be announced in the coming months.
