The UCLA Bruins will face the Arizona Wildcats in the season opener for both teams on November 2, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This matchup is part of a doubleheader in the Hall of Fame Series, with Gonzaga playing Purdue in the other game. The event will be nationally televised on TNT Sports networks.
The announcement for the 2026-27 men's basketball season opener came on February 25, 2026, from UCLA Athletics. The Bruins and Wildcats will meet in a neutral-site game as part of the college basketball opening-night doubleheader at T-Mobile Arena. This marks the third straight year the teams have played in a neutral location, following a UCLA victory in Phoenix last season and an Arizona win earlier this season at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
The rivalry dates back to 1923, with the teams facing off three times in the 1950s and four times in the 1960s. From 1979 through 2024, after Arizona joined the Pac-10 Conference, the programs met annually. UCLA head coach Mick Cronin expressed enthusiasm for the matchup, stating, "We are excited to be able to open our season next November against Arizona in Las Vegas. This is a fantastic opening-night matchup in college basketball, and it's a huge win for our sport. It's important to us that we continue to have these attractive and tradition-rich games. I hope the Bruin faithful will come to Las Vegas to support our team in this matchup with our longtime rival."
The Hall of Fame Series, operated by Position Sports, features top non-conference games in prominent venues. Broadcast details and exact game times will be released later, with tickets going on sale in April. Fans can find hotel information and pre-sale updates on HOFseries.com. The Arizona Athletics site confirmed the game as one of four at the arena on November 2.
