SAN ANTONIO — The City of San Antonio announced Friday it will be the first region to host the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament in its entirety, with 64 teams coming to the Alamo City during March and April.

What You Need To Know

  • City can expect up to 35,000 hotel rooms occupied over the March Madness stretch

  • In the last 20 years, San Antonio has hosted two Women’s Final Fours, four Men’s Final Fours and six preliminary round NCAA tournaments

  • Entire tournament will be hosted by several schools including the University of Incarnate Ward. University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Texas and Texas State University

  • Only family and friends will be allowed to attend games but that limitation is subject to change

Mayor Ron Nirenberg joined NCAA officials during a Zoom webinar Friday afternoon to announce the historical event. Nirenberg says the city can expect up to 35,000 hotel rooms occupied over the March Madness stretch.

It won’t be the first time San Antonio has hosted a large-scale sporting event, as NCAA Vice President Lynn Holzman and Division I Women’s Basketball Committee Chair Nina King praised the city’s professionalism, claiming its organization committee as among one of the best in the country.

In the last 20 years, San Antonio has hosted two Women’s Final Fours, four Men’s Final Fours and six preliminary round NCAA tournaments.

The entire tournament will be hosted by several schools including the University of Incarnate Ward, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Texas and Texas State University. The Alamodome will be a main hub for the tournament and will host the Women’s Sweet 16 exclusively.

Nirenberg has promised that the event will abide by Centers for Disease and Prevention Control and Metro Health guidelines. The decision of fan attendance has not been confirmed. As of Friday, only family and friends of student-athletes will be allowed to attend games. This may change based on county and venue guidelines.

The NCAA has organized the event to ensure teams will travel in private charter transportation and be socially distanced by “team pods.” Players and staff will be subject to daily COVID-19 testing and no cross-socialization between teams will be allowed.

Selection Monday for the 64 teams will be March 15. For more information, visit the tournament's official site.

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