The NCAA announced that the 2028 Women’s Final Four will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, marking a historic move to a football stadium to accommodate increasing popularity and demand.

This event will be hosted at Lucas Oil Stadium, which has a capacity of 70,000, but the NCAA plans to utilize about half of that, adding approximately 13,000 seats to better serve the growing fan base.

The decision to move to a larger venue reflects the sport's expanding popularity, with recent years seeing sold-out crowds and significantly higher ticket prices, including 2024 ticket prices doubling those of the men’s tournament on the secondary market.

The move to Lucas Oil Stadium is expected to enhance accessibility and attendance, emphasizing the increasing interest in women’s basketball, with Amanda Braun, chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, citing the larger venue as a natural step.

This transition to a football stadium is part of broader efforts to elevate women’s basketball and address gender disparities, as highlighted in a 2021 gender equity report.

Hosting the event in such a large stadium signifies the sport’s growth, with the NCAA aiming to sell about 31,000 seats for the 2028 Final Four, a substantial increase from previous venues.

Lucas Oil Stadium’s capacity of 70,000 makes it a prominent basketball venue, and hosting the women’s Final Four there marks the first time since 2005 that the event will be held in a football stadium.

The stadium will also host the 2026 men’s Final Four, underscoring its importance as a major basketball hub in the NCAA calendar.

The NCAA will maintain the current tournament format, with early rounds hosted at campus sites through at least the 2030-31 season, supported by 85% of surveyed athletic directors, coaches, and conference officials.

This format, where the top 16 seeds host the first two rounds, is viewed as effective for increasing attendance and engagement, and will remain unchanged until at least 2031.

While the tournament structure remains the same, the NCAA continues to evaluate options for future improvements, but the current format is considered optimal for participants and fans.

The move to a larger venue and the emphasis on expanding women’s basketball are part of ongoing efforts to address gender disparities and elevate the sport’s profile.