KSHSAA releases format for 2026-2027 basketball tournament games

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Kansas sports officials have released the format for the 2026 and 2027 State Basketball Tournament and are touching on some of the new changes that were made.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) put out a press release on July 10 regarding the format set for state basketball tournament sites over the next two years. The organization said the current format marks the first time since 1953 that state championship games of multiple classes occurred at the same location. The format and sites that were selected for the next two seasons are below:

• 2026
  • 1A Division I semifinals/finals at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City.
  • 2A and 1A Division II semifinals/finals at White Auditorium in Emporia.
  • 3A and 4A semifinals/finals at The Hutchinson Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College.
  • 5A and 6A semifinals and finals at Koch Arena at Wichita State University.
• 2027
  • Both divisions of 1A semifinals/finals at Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina.
  • Class 2A and class 4A semifinals/finals at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.
  • 3A semifinals/finals at The Sports Arena at Hutchinson Communicty College.
  • 5A and 6A semifinals at White Auditorium in Emporia.

“The KSHSAA is an association of member schools, and the school leaders have asked for class consolidation of championships,” said KSHSAA Executive Director Bill Faflick. “This new format will achieve that result and provide a greater focus on the student athletes competing at the highest level with four state title games being played consecutively on championship Saturday. This modification allows basketball to follow the recently implemented format for championship soccer and football championship games. With more titles being determined at one location, the atmosphere in the championship arenas will be at an all-time high.” 

The KSHSAA said the state tournament starts with the quarterfinal round which will take place at seven locations in five cities. Teams will need to win the state quarterfinal round games to advance to the semifinals and finals sites.

• 2026 State Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal Schedule.
  • 6A, 4A, 2A Girls, 5A, 3A, 1A Boys Quarterfinals will be on March 10 at United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium and KCKCC Fieldhouse.
  • 5A, 3A, 1A Girls, 6A, 4A, 2A Boys Quarterfinals will be on March 11 at United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium and KCKCC Fieldhouse.

The KSHSAA said the quarterfinal round games will be determined by proximity to the higher seed, not class. The highest four seeds of the state tournament will be put as close to home as they can be in the nearly 30 quarterfinal round games in Kansas. If the distance from the lower seed is greater than 250 miles from where the game would be played near the higher seed, that game will be played at one of the quarterfinal sites centrally located. State brackets will not be reseeded after the state quarterfinals.

“With the top four seeds earning the right to play close to home, the quarterfinal rounds will provide a better environment and experience allowing more friends and family to attend the quarterfinal round,” said KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director and Basketball Administrator Kyle Doperalski. “This new format is a win for teams and school communities with an incredible atmosphere of four state championship games in the same venue on the same day.  Fans and media along with non-advancing teams and coaches will have less decisions to make about what site to go to and watch the teams and players they want to see at the state tournament.”   

Quarterfinal games will be played on March 10-11 in 2026 and March 9-10 in 2027, according to the KSHSAA. The dates of the semifinals and finals will be on March 12-14 in 2026 and March 11-13 in 2027.

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