Baltimore to Host 2026 CIAA Men's and Women's Tournament Feb. 24-28

The WBAL editorial calls the 2026 CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament “far more than a sporting event; it is a civic occasion with major economic, cultural and legacy implications,” a framing that precedes five days of games scheduled in Baltimore from Feb. 24-28, 2026 at the venue identified in coverage as both CFG Arena and CFG Bank Arena. The tournament will bring all 12 of the conference’s men’s and 12 women’s teams to the city for a weeklong slate of competition and associated events.

WTOP reported that “last year’s event generated $27.4 million for the city in its five-day run,” and that the CIAA, described by WTOP as “the nation’s first and oldest historically Black athletic conference”, has signed a new deal to remain in Baltimore through 2029 after holding the tournament in Charlotte for more than a decade before moving to Baltimore in 2021. Those figures and the multiyear agreement frame the economic and planning questions Baltimore officials will face as the tournament returns.

CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams told WTOP that “There’s just organic alignment that Baltimore has with the CIAA that allows us to execute and deliver a pretty amazing and big event,” and she summed up tournament culture with the mantras “food, parties and basketball.” McWilliams added, “You go and have a good time. You go eat, but you all come watch the games,” a description WTOP used to explain why alumni and students travel from across the region to participate in the festival atmosphere.

WTOP noted the tournament schedule includes 22 games across the five-day window and that “All 12 of the conference’s men’s and women’s basketball teams play in the tournament during the weeklong festivities.” TheCIAA recaps supplied specific game results: Lincoln University (PA) defeated Claflin University 56-53, with Peter Sorber scoring 15 points and Ethan Garita 14, and TheCIAA lists Lincoln advancing to face Virginia State University in a men’s semifinal scheduled for Friday, February 28 at 2:00 PM. TheCIAA also records a men’s result of Virginia State 67, Bowie State 59 and a women’s victory of Bowie State 68, Livingstone 54 at CFG Bank Arena, with Destiny Ryles scoring 21 points and Morgan Kelson 11 for Bowie State, which will meet Virginia State for a spot in the finals.

Coverage of the tournament’s Baltimore legacy includes archival context: WTOP republishes an AP photo caption of Fayetteville State celebrating a 65-62 win over Virginia Union in the 2022 CIAA men’s championship in Baltimore, credited to AP photographer Julio Cortez, underscoring the tournament’s longstanding visual and civic ties to the city.

Despite the local enthusiasm and the CIAA’s deal through 2029, reporting gaps remain: current coverage uses both CFG Arena and CFG Bank Arena for the venue name, WTOP provides the $27.4 million impact figure without publicly available methodology, and the terms of the Baltimore hosting agreement have not been released in the excerpts reviewed. Those unanswered details will shape whether the “economic, cultural and legacy implications” WBAL identified materialize as the CIAA returns to Baltimore Feb. 24-28.