PORTLAND, Ore. — The women's NCAA tournament is returning to Portland sooner than expected. The Rose City has been selected to host the regional rounds in the 2028 tournament.
Portland is also slated to host the Women's Final Four in 2030.
In 2028, regional play will take place between March 24-27 at the Moda Center and the Capitol One Arena in Washington D.C. It'll be the first time the women's basketball championship has been in D.C. since 1997.
Each city will host six regional championship games apiece. Portland hosted regional play in 2024, drawing thousands of fans to the Moda Center. There fans witnessed NC State and UConn move on to the Final Four.
The tournament was expected to bring in over $3 million to Portland — the final total has not yet been reported. But, during the tournament over 3,500 hotel rooms were booked just for the teams, media and NCAA-designated officials.
Women's basketball has recently seen a surge of viewership. The 2024 NCAA women's championship outdrew the men's championship with an average of 18.9 million viewers. It was the first time in history the women's title game drew more eyes than the men's.
“The selection of Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland, and Washington D.C. to host the 2027 and 2028 regional championships underscores the remarkable growth of the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship,” said Lynn Holzman, vice president of women’s basketball.
“These cities, recognized as epicenters of the sport, have a proven track record of hosting successful events and possess the necessary infrastructure to support the expanding championship and its two-site regional format," Holzman added.
Last year, the NCAA opted for a two-site regional championship set-up, which resulted in record attendance in the last two championships, the NCAA said.
With the 2028 regional play coming to Portland. The Rose City is slated to continue its stride in becoming a women's sports destination — with the announcement of a new WNBA expansion franchise on its way.
After 22 years, the WNBA is returning to Portland. The team will begin play in the 2026 season.
Portland is also slated to host the first and second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship on March 19 and March 21 in 2026.
