Phoenix moves up in national ranking of best sports cities amid venue boom

Article originally posted on Phoenix Business Journal on May 19, 2026

With 14 professional sports venues within an hour’s drive – a higher concentration than any city in the world – as well as multiple new or renovated college facilities, not to mention one of the world’s largest amateur sports complexes and enviable weather, Phoenix has amassed a diverse hosting resume.

The Valley has been the site for multiple Super Bowls, most recently in 2023, and NCAA Division I Men’s Final Fours; a CFP National Championship; the 2024 NCAA Convention; the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa, featuring the U.S. women’s national team and NFL annual league meetings. In March, the city hosted the WWE Smackdown and then the NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four in April.

That’s why Phoenix is ranked as No. 8 in the country among the Best Sports Cities in 2026 by Sports Business Journal, an affiliated publication of Phoenix Business Journal. That’s a jump in the rankings for the Arizona capital, which was No. 10 when the previous rankings were released in 2023.

Atlanta was No. 1 in this year’s report, which ranked 50 U.S. metros across numerous measurements, including construction projects, corporate sports sponsorships from naming rights to uniform patches and on-field logos; total attendance at events and the number and quality of sports industry B2B events.

Coming soon to Phoenix: The Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships will be at the Mortgage Matchup Center in August; the NBA All-Star Game Weekend will return (for the fourth time) next year; and the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex will host the 2027 NCAA Division II tennis finals. And just announced: TKO Group Holdings Inc. (NYSE: TKO), the company that owns global combat sports brands UFC, WWE and Zuffa Boxing, as well as PBR, a professional bull riding organization, will bring seven events to the Valley over the next three years.

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