The University of Virginia has been named the host of the 2026 NCAA men’s lacrosse championships, the NCAA and university announced Saturday.
In keeping with longstanding tradition, championship weekend will unfold over Memorial Day weekend with three days of action at Scott Stadium. The venue accommodates more than 60,000 spectators, serves as the home of UVA football and has hosted concerts for some of the world’s most iconic touring artists.
“We extend our gratitude to the NCAA and the Division I Men’s Lacrosse Committee for entrusting us with the opportunity to host championship weekend,” Virginia athletic director Carla Williams said. “We have great respect for the history and tradition of this iconic event and UVA is honored to welcome collegiate men’s lacrosse to Charlottesville.”
Virginia was awarded hosting duties after the NCAA announced a venue change in the fall of 2023, following a scheduling conflict with Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.), which was selected as one of the host sites for the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup.
It marks the first time since 1982 that UVA will host the Division I championship, having previously staged the event at Scott Stadium in 1977 and 1982. It will also be the first time since 2002 (Rutgers) that championship weekend has been held on a college campus.
“The Division I Men’s Lacrosse Committee is excited to head to Charlottesville for a fantastic championship experience in 2026,” said Matt Colagiovanni, committee chair and deputy athletic director at Rutgers. “We are thrilled to work with the University of Virginia staff and local community to provide an outstanding championship experience for the student-athletes as the event returns to a college campus setting.
“This is a tremendous opportunity, as fans from across the country will experience Charlottesville for the first time as the host of the national semifinals and the national championship game. We thank Virginia for their strong bid to host, and the committee looks forward to collaborating closely to make this a memorable event for everyone involved.”
Not since April 2, 2011 — when the Cavaliers hosted Maryland in a nationally televised regular-season matchup — has a lacrosse game been played at Scott Stadium. Virginia went on to defeat the Terrapins 9-7 in the national championship game.
Prior to Klöckner Stadium’s inaugural season in 1993, Scott Stadium served as UVA’s primary home for lacrosse — particularly for matchups against marquee opponents. Scott Stadium was also the host site of the 1976 North-South All-Star game, a prestigious annual event that showcases the nation’s top senior college lacrosse players.
In 2003, the NCAA unified the Division II and Division III national championship games with the Division I semifinals and final, creating a single, championship-filled weekend. The inaugural all-division format took place at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, where the Wahoos defeated Johns Hopkins 9-7 in the championship game in dramatic fashion amid soaking wet conditions.
