As Sacramento prepares to host the Women’s March Madness Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games this week, a fan zone will pop up downtown for basketball fans.
The city will host NCAA college basketball fans across the country to see their teams compete in the national tournament.
Fans who don’t get ahold of tickets for the games can still celebrate their teams in fan zones Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Here’s what to know about the festivities near Golden 1.
Who is playing in the Sweet 16 games in Sacramento?
This year, Sacramento will host the NCAA Women’s March Madness Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games from Friday, March 27 to Monday, March 30.
The UCLA Bruins will face off against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 27.The Duke Blue Devils will face off against the LSU Tigers at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 27.The South Carolina Gamecocks will face off against the Oklahoma Sooners at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 28.The TCU Horned Frogs will face off against the Virginia Cavaliers at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28.
The other half of the Sweet 16 games will be played in Fort Worth, Texas.
The winners of these games will play either at noon on Sunday, March 29 or at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 30.
The TCU Horned Frogs pose with the championship bracket that shows them moving on to the Sweet 16 after defeating Washington in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram What’s part of Sacramento’s weekend fan zones?
Visit Sacramento described its fan zone as a “high-energy outdoor experience (that) brings the excitement beyond the arena.”
The Visit Sacramento fan zone will include a “Spirit Station” with airbrush tattoos and rally towl giveaways, live DJs, and local food and drink vendors, according to DoCo Sacramento’s social media. The Visit Sacramento Fan Zone will be at Ali Youssefi Square located at 705 K St.
It’s open from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 27 and from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28.
The fan zone will also host a “Women in Sports and Business” discussion panel. It will feature former Sacramento Monarchs player Ruthie Bolton; Visit Sacramento’s chief inclusion and community engagement officer, Sonya Bradley; Sacramento State athletics chief of staff, Pamm Zierfuss-Hubbard; and Sacramento Kings chief operations officer Matina Kolokotronis.
Live music will be performed by all women DJs, according to Visit Sacramento. There will be live music on Friday and Saturday, including performances by DJ Lady Char, DJ EDDY, DJ NESSS, and DJ GENETIXX.
Sacramento Kings Dancers are set to perform at the fan zone as well, according to Visit Sacramento.
DoCo will also host a celebration at West Plaza at 405 K St. Fans can make signs, enjoy face painting and play an inflatable basketball hoop game, according to their social media. The Sunday festivities start at 11 a.m. and end at 3 p.m.
How to get there
Sacramento Regional Transit is providing free rides to the Sacramento Fan Zone on Saturday. To get a ride for no costs, Visit Sacramento recommends showing the following flyer to a RT or light rail driver:
Sacramento Regional Transit is providing free rides to residents trying to get to the Sacramento Fan Zone on Saturday, March 28. Residents are eligible for a free ride from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to Sacramento Regional Transit. Photo courtesy of Visit Sacramento
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Emma Hall covers Sacramento County for The Sacramento Bee. Hall graduated from Sacramento State and Diablo Valley College. She is Blackfeet and Cherokee.