The city of Minneapolis and Target Center have been announced as a finalist for one of the 2021-24 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Fours. Minneapolis was identified as one of eight cities under consideration for the next four-year period. Together, Sports Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota and Target Center will submit the final bid for Minneapolis and await the October announcement of the official host cities.

As part of the Jan. 19, 2018, announcement, the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee stated:

A blend of past and potential first-time host cities have been chosen as finalists to be considered as future hosts for the NCAA Women’s Final Four from 2021-2024.

The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee identified eight cities that will be under consideration to host during the four-year period. Those cities include Cleveland, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Missouri; Minneapolis, Nashville and San Antonio.

“We were encouraged by the number and quality of potential host cities for the Women’s Final Four,” said Rhonda Lundin Bennett, chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator at the University of Nevada. “The Women’s Final Four selection process will ultimately identify those cities that have the enthusiasm and energy to continue to build the legacy of one of America’s premier women’s sporting events.”

Next steps include finalist cities submitting final bids by April 27, 2018; NCAA committee and staff conducting site visits to cities in July and August, 2018; finalist cities having a final in-person presentation to members of the committee the week of Sept. 17-21, 2018; formal recommendation and final approval of sites by the Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee and announcement of Women’s Final Four hosts for the years 2021-24 taking place in early Oct. 2018.


In terms of past Women’s Final Four hosting experience for the eight finalist cities, Cleveland (2007), Dallas (2017), Indianapolis (2005, 2011 and 2016), Kansas City (1998); Minneapolis (1995), Nashville (2014) and San Antonio (2002 and 2010) have hosted previously. Houston is vying to host for the first time.



For more details:
NCAA news release

University of Minnesota news release