Halifax is set to make history once again as the city has been selected to host four prestigious U SPORTS national championships over the next four years, marking a new chapter for university sports in Canada.
As part of the announcement on Wednesday (Sept 25) afternoon at Scotiabank Centre, Acadia has been named host of the 2027 U SPORTS Women's Basketball Final 8, which will be hosted in Halifax at Scotiabank Centre in partnership with Dalhousie as host of the 2027 Men's Basketball Final 8.
"We are excited to bring the U SPORTS women's basketball championship back to Halifax, a city with a rich history of supporting university sports," said Acadia Athletics Director Brian Finniss. "It's a great opportunity for Acadia and the region to showcase the talent and passion of our student-athletes. For the Axewomen, with three AUS titles and four national appearances in the last seven years, this is an exciting chance to compete on home soil."
This is part of a larger partnership with STFX and Saint Mary's to bring the four championships in three years to Halifax. Saint Mary's will host the 2026 men's hockey University Cup, while STFX will host the 2028 women's hockey championship.
Each host university receives an automatic bid into the championship.
"Halifax has a long and storied history supporting U SPORTS events, with some of the highest-attended national championships in this building," said Pierre Arsenault, U SPORTS Chief Executive Officer. "When U SPORTS received the joint bid between the four host universities in partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia, the City of Halifax, Discover Halifax and Scotiabank Centre, it was a very easy decision to bring these four championships to the City of Trees. We know the event will be supported by the corporate community and fans, resulting in a world-class experience for our student-athletes attending the championships."
With a strong history of hosting U SPORTS events, Halifax has previously welcomed championships in men's hockey and women's and men's basketball, but 2028 marks the city's debut as the host of the Women's Hockey Championship.
Scotiabank Centre serves as the backdrop for all four championships. It has hosted the men's basketball Final 8 a record 31 times, while the University Cup has been contested twice inside the hallowed walls of the building. The 2027 women's basketball Final 8 will be the second time Halifax hosts the championship, with the 1980 CIAU women's basketball tournament contested at Dalhousie University.
Sports and Entertainment Atlantic (S|E|A) will handle the event operations, sales, and marketing.
