The road to Phoenix is about to get underway.
Sixty-eight teams will start the chase to cut down the nets inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale when the NCAA Tournament's First Four gets underway on Tuesday. It is the first time the Final Four will return to The Valley since Roy Williams and North Carolina won the national championship in 2017 against Gonzaga.
UConn, Purdue and Houston all look to have solidified themselves as 1 seeds in the field of 68 and are among the favorites to win the national championship. The Huskies in particular look to become the first team since Florida won back-to-back national championship titles in 2006 and 2007.
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As for the Boilermakers, Matt Painter's squad — led by reigning national player of the year Zach Edey — is looking to get over the hump and appear in the Final Four after losing to mid-majors each of the last two seasons. They fell to Saint Peter's in the Sweet 16 in 2022 and Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round in 2023, respectively.
And for the Cougars, Kelvin Sampson's squad has remained one of the nation's top teams despite making the jump to the Big 12 from the American Athletic Conference. Houston's defense, which has come to be known as the Cougars' bread and butter under Sampson, ranks No. 1 on KenPom in adjusted defensive efficiency. Assuming Houston will be able to continue replicating its success on the defensive end game in and game out in March, opponents will have a challenging time trying to beat them.
This year's Final Four will also feature a "first" on who will call the two semifinals and national championship in Arizona. For the first time in nearly four decades, Jim Nantz won't call the Final Four. Instead, it will be Ian Eagle who take over broadcast duties.
Here's what you need to know on the Final Four, including date, location, ticket prices and more:
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Where is the Final Four in 2024?
- Location: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Ariz.)
The 2024 NCAA Tournament Final Four is taking place at State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals, in Glendale.It is just the second time that the Final Four is being held in Arizona, and first since North Carolina defeated Gonzaga in 2017 for the national championship.
Final Four schedule 2024
The Final Four will begin with the national semifinals on Saturday, April 6. The national championship game will take place on Monday, April 8.
Saturday, April 6
Monday, April 8
- National championship: 7:20 p.m. | TBS (Sling TV)
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How to watch the 2024 Final Four
- TV channel: TBS
- Streaming: March Madness Live app | Sling TV
The 2024 Final Four will be broadcast on TBS. It can be streamed on either the March Madness Live app orSling TV. Eagle (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Grant Hill (analyst) and Tracy Wolfson (sideline reporter) will handle the broadcast duties.
Future Final Four locations
The Final Four will head back to San Antonio next year at the Alamodome. It will be the fourth time that the Final Four will take place in San Antonio and the first since 2018, when Villanova defeated Michigan.
Here's a full breakdown of where the Final Four will take place through 2030:
- 2025: Alamodome (San Antonio)
- 2026: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
- 2027: Ford Field (Detroit)
- 2028: Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
- 2029: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
- 2030: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
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How to buy Final Four tickets in 2024
Fans hoping to attend the Final Four in 2024 can do so through various ticket vendors such as SeatGeek and StubHub. Here is a look at starting prices from various vendors (as of Friday, March 14):
March Madness 2024 venues
With a field of 68 and teams scattered throughout the country, the NCAA Tournament is once again taking place at 14 different arenas and stadiums.
The First Four will take place at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. The first weekend, (i.e., the first and second rounds), will take place in eight different cities; the second weekend, (Sweet 16 and Elite Eight), will take place in four NBA cities. The Final Four and national championship will be held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
Here is a full breakdown of which sites and locations will host the NCAA Tournament this year:
First Four:
- UD Arena (Dayton, Ohio)
Rounds 1-2
- Barclays Center (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
- Spectrum Center (Charlotte, N.C.)
- Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
- CHI Health Center (Omaha, Neb.)
- PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh)
- Delta Center (Salt Lake City)
- Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena (Spokane, Wash.)
- FedExForum (Memphis, Tenn.)
Sweet 16-Elite Eight:
- East Region:TD Garden (Boston)
- South Region:American Airlines Center (Dallas)
- Midwest Region:Little Caesars Arena (Detroit)
- West Region:Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles)
Final Four
- State Farm Arena (Phoenix)
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