Birmingham Approves Multi-Year HBCU Sports Events

City secures NCAA and SWAC football games, plus Division II track championships, through 2027.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 8:50pm

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The Birmingham City Council has approved plans to host multiple college sporting events involving Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) over the next two years. This includes SWAC football games in 2026 and 2027, as well as the 2027 NCAA Division II Track and Field Championship.

Why it matters

The deal aims to boost Birmingham's economy by bringing in visitors to stay in hotels, eat at restaurants, and shop at local businesses. It also helps the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC), which has historically struggled to find a secure financial model, to "control their own narrative" and brand.

The details

The city approved plans for two SWAC football games at Legion Field, with the first game scheduled for August 26, 2026 and another in 2027. Birmingham also agreed to host the 2027 NCAA Division II Track and Field Championship at the CrossPlex. This builds on a three-year agreement the city signed with SWAC in 2022 to create the SWAC Classic, which has featured matchups between Jackson State University and the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, as well as Jackson State and Southern University.

  • The first SWAC football game will be held on August 26, 2026.
  • Another SWAC football game will be held in 2027.
  • The 2027 NCAA Division II Track and Field Championship will be hosted at the CrossPlex.

The players

Birmingham City Council

The governing body of the city of Birmingham, Alabama that approved the plans to host the HBCU sporting events.

Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC)

A collegiate athletic conference consisting of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Charles McClelland

The Commissioner of the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC).

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What they’re saying

“Any time we can get heads in beds in our hotels, people eating in our restaurants, or shopping at our businesses, it's an economic win that we can keep stacking.”

— Hunter Williams, Birmingham City Councilor (City press release)

“We want to control our own narrative and we want to control our own brand.”

— Charles McClelland, SWAC Commissioner (AL.com)

What’s next

The first SWAC football game at Legion Field is scheduled for August 26, 2026.

The takeaway

Birmingham's multi-year deal to host HBCU sporting events aims to boost the local economy while also empowering the Southwest Athletic Conference to control its own brand and narrative, providing a model for other cities and conferences to follow.