- The Town of Cary and its host partners have been awarded six National Championship events across three sports by the NCAA spanning academic years 2026-27 and 2027-28.
- Cary has hosted 38 NCAA National Championships since 2003, with three more championships set for the upcoming 2024-25 academic year.
- WakeMed Soccer Park will host the Women’s and Men’s Division I Soccer College Cups in 2026 and 2027; the USA Baseball National Training Complex will host the Division II Baseball World Series in 2027 and 2028.
Cary, N.C. - The Town of Cary and its host partners have been awarded six National Championships across three sports for the 2026-2028 seasons by the NCAA. Specifically, Cary will play host to four NCAA College Cups and two Division II Baseball World Series in those years.
As one of the NCAA’s most trusted partners over the past 20 years, Cary was selected from a pool of over 1,200 bids due to its rich history of hosting premiere college sporting events and its world-class facilities that have hosted competition at every level of play. “We appreciate the strong partnership we’ve built with the NCAA over all these years,” said John Collins, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources. “A lot of work gets put into these bids, and it is exciting to celebrate these rewards and show the world what Cary has to offer.”
WakeMed Soccer Park will play host to the Women’s and Men’s Division I Soccer College Cups as the championships return in 2026 and 2027, bringing the total number of NCAA soccer champions crowned in Cary to 23. The facility is currently the home to professional teams including the NC Courage and North Carolina FC, and also has shown its versatility as the host of local events, festivals, and international tournaments, including the world’s highest-stakes professional women’s soccer tournament, The Soccer Tournament (TST).
The USA Baseball National Training Complex will once again host the Division II Baseball World Series, which marks the 15th and 16th times the event will be held in Cary since 2009. Following a recent renovation, the $11 million facility is now the official home of USA Baseball’s executive office in a new 40,000 square-foot building that also houses a 22,000 square-foot indoor training center. Last September, SportsTravel magazine recognized the complex as one of the top “Best New or Renovated Venues” in the country in their annual awards.
Cary’s contribution to collegiate athletics continues to cement the area and state as a hub of premiere and collegiate sporting events in the country. “We are thrilled that Cary remains the home for the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer College Cups and Division II Baseball World Series,” said Mayor Harold Weinbrecht. “Our phenomenal staff works hard to provide championship experiences to players of all skill levels and audiences of all ages across our world-class venues.”
Across its sports venues, Cary has hosted 106 College Championships, including 41 NCAA and 65 ACC, as well as dozens of high school and recreation league events. Through 2023, Cary’s total economic impact of sports tourism is nearly $300 million, attracting 10.5 million visitors from all over the United States and the world.
About Cary, North Carolina
With excellence and innovation in its DNA, Cary is a growing, thriving community of over 187,000 people representing more than 60 nationalities at the heart of central North Carolina’s renowned Triangle region. Cary is consistently ranked among the most-desirable places to live, work, have fun, and do business in the United States. It holds a reputation for its safe neighborhoods, network of bike-friendly parks and greenways, environmental stewardship, robust business climate, and premier amateur sports venues. As a government, Cary leans forward while understanding and learning from its past. Its “people first” philosophy values and encourages collaboration, experimentation, learning, and adaptation while seizing opportunities to continue making Cary a place of inspiration and possibility. For more, visit carync.gov.
Primary Contacts
If you have specific questions about Town services or operations, dial 311 anywhere in Cary, (919) 469-4000 outside Town limits, or email 311@carync.gov.
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