Basketball fans in Wichita have plenty to celebrate this week. The NCAA has selected Wichita to serve as an Opening Round host site for March Madness in both 2027 and 2028, joining Dayton as one of the tournament’s premier early-round destinations.
The announcement, confirmed by NCAA.com and reported by multiple local outlets including KAKE, marks a significant win for the Air Capital. Hosting the Opening Round — the first games of the NCAA Tournament — puts Wichita on the national sports map and brings college basketball fans from across the country to the city for back-to-back years.
The selection is a strong vote of confidence in Wichita’s venues, hospitality infrastructure, and its passionate sports community. The Opening Round traditionally features some of the most exciting and unpredictable games of the entire tournament, drawing enormous national television audiences and enthusiastic crowds.
For local businesses, hotels, and restaurants, two consecutive years of hosting means a significant boost in visitors and economic activity during one of college sports’ most-watched events. For Wichita residents, it means front-row access to the magic of March Madness — right in their own backyard.
With the 2027 and 2028 tournaments still on the horizon, fans will have time to mark their calendars and look forward to what promises to be an electrifying pair of events in the heart of Kansas.
