Detroit — Next stop, Detroit.
With Michigan men’s basketball securing the 2026 NCAA Tournament national championship Monday night with a 69-63 victory over Connecticut at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the countdown is officially on for the Final Four’s return to the Motor City.
In 363 days, the Final Four confetti — Will it be maize and blue? Or green and white? Sportsbooks’ futures give either a pretty good chance! — will be falling from the Ford Field rafters.
“I hope we spend a year trying to get this to be the greatest Final Four ever,” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said In December, when the official logo for the 2027 Final Four was unveiled. “If Michigan and Michigan State could find their way in it, that would be great.
“If they can’t, I’m still gonna be a big-time supporter of what you all have done to bring basketball to our city.”
Michigan State will be the host school for the 2027 Final Four.
Where is the 2027 Final Four?
The 2027 Final Four will take place at Ford Field in Detroit, as awarded by the NCAA in November 2022.
When is the 2027 Final Four?
The 2027 Final Four will be April 3 and 5, with the national semifinals taking place on Saturday, April 3, and the national-championship game set for Monday, April 5.
Has Detroit ever hosted the Final Four before?
Yes. Ford Field hosted the 2009 Final Four, when Michigan State beat UConn in the semifinals, before losing to North Carolina in the national-championship game.
Are tickets for the 2027 Final Four on sale?
Not yet, but applications are being accepted for tickets at finalfourdetroit.com, through May 31. There is a $25 application fee. Winners of the lottery will be notified in the fall of 2026.
How many basketball games has Ford Field hosted?
By our count, Ford Field has hosted at least eight college basketball games. The first was the “BasketBowl” game between Michigan State and Kentucky in 2003, followed by a regular-season game between Michigan State and North Carolina in 2008 in what proved to be a preview of the 2009 national-championship game in the same venue.
How many fans can Ford Field hold?
Ford Field’s football capacity is around 65,000, but for basketball, it can hold about 78,000. The Final Four games in 2009 drew a crowd of 72,456, while the national-championship game drew a crowd of 72,922.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit now on the clock for 2027 Final Four: When, where, how to get tickets
Reporting by Tony Paul, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
