TicketsFORT COLLINS, Colo. – The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team will compete in the 2026 Cancun Challenge, Triple Crown Sports announced Wednesday. The tournament will be held Nov. 26-27 at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico.
Cincinnati is one of six teams in the Riviera Tournament, joining Kansas, Miami (Ohio), Minnesota, Missouri State and Washington State. Each team will play two games during the tournament.
The Bearcats will face Miami (Ohio) on Thursday, Nov. 26 at 9 p.m. ET before taking on Minnesota on Friday, Nov. 27 at 9 p.m. ET.
Both opponents advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season. Miami (Ohio) earned the Mid-American Conference's automatic bid after winning the conference tournament, while Minnesota finished 24-9 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.
The 2026 tournament marks the 22nd edition of the women's Cancun Challenge, which is hosted by Triple Crown Sports.
Fan packages are available for those looking to make a week of it — warm weather, world-class resort amenities and high-level college basketball all in one place: Fan Packages – Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
Thursday, Nov. 26
Riviera Tournament
Kansas vs. Washington State, 4 p.m. ET
Minnesota vs. Missouri State, 6:30 p.m. ET
Cincinnati vs. Miami OH, 9 p.m. ET
Friday, Nov. 27
Riviera Tournament
Washington State vs. Missouri State, 4 p.m. ET
Miami OH vs. Kansas, 6:30 p.m. ET
Cincinnati vs. Minnesota, 9 p.m. ET
About Triple Crown Sports
Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for more than 40 years. TCS runs the postseason WNIT basketball event and produces the men’s and women’s DI Cancun Challenge tournaments in November. Triple Crown’s PV College Challenge features more than 10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX. Anchored by the 1,200-team Colorado 4th of July event, TC fastpitch tournaments draw the nation’s finest club programs, and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes. TCS produces two of the largest youth baseball events in the world with the 800-team Omaha SlumpBuster during the College World Series and the 800-team Arizona Spring Championships during MLB Spring Training. The Triple Crown Volleyball NIT has become the top-recruited club volleyball event in the country each February when 680 teams compete in Kansas City, MO.