The Arizona baseball team might start the 2027 season against the defending national champions.
The Wildcats are headed back to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, for the Shriners Children’s College Showdown Feb. 19-21. The field includes Oklahoma, which defeated North Carolina on Monday night to win the College World Series.
Oklahoma celebrates after defeating North Carolina to win the NCAA Men’s College World Series championship at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, on Monday, June 22, 2026.
Four other programs are committed to playing in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown: Clemson, Texas, TCU and Virginia. The Longhorns also participated in the CWS this season.
Tournament matchups will be revealed later this year.
Arizona is no stranger to Globe Life Field. The Wildcats opened the Chip Hale era in 2022 in the State Farm College Baseball Showdown in Arlington. The UA swept Kansas State, Oklahoma and Texas Tech.
Arizona returned to Arlington in 2025 for the Shriners Children’s College Showdown, and things didn’t go as well. The Wildcats got swept by Ole Miss, Clemson and Louisville. They ended up advancing to the College World Series — winning the Big 12 Tournament at Globe Life along the way.
People are also reading…
Additional information about Arizona’s ’27 schedule will be announced in the coming months.
Contact sports reporter/columnist Michael Lev at mlev@tucson.com. On X (Twitter): @michaeljlev. On Bluesky: @michaeljlev.bsky.social
Michael Lev
Sports Reporter/Columnist
On Becky Burke’s defiance, Tommy Lloyd’s frustration, UA softball’s strategy | Michael Lev
