2026 College Basketball Invitational Canceled, Leaving Fewer Postseason Options for Teams

The 2026 College Basketball Invitational (CBI) has been canceled, eliminating one of men’s college basketball’s longtime postseason tournaments and leaving the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), and the newer College Basketball Crown as the primary postseason opportunities outside the NCAA championship field.

Tournament organizers announced the cancellation Thursday in a brief statement posted to social media.

“Due to circumstances beyond our control, the CBI will not be held this year,” the tournament said. “We will see you next year!”

Officials with the Gazelle Group, a New Jersey–based sports marketing firm that has operated the CBI since its launch in 2008, did not immediately provide additional details about the decision. Messages seeking comment were left with the organization.

The cancellation further narrows postseason opportunities for teams that fall short of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Another secondary event, the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, ceased operations last year, reducing the number of available postseason tournaments for Division I programs.

Participation in both the CBI and the CollegeInsider.com Tournament traditionally required schools to pay an entry fee, a practice that drew criticism but allowed smaller postseason events to operate outside the NCAA’s direct funding structure.

Since its inception in 2008, the CBI had typically featured a 16-team field and was widely regarded as the third-tier postseason event behind the NCAA Tournament and the NIT. The tournament was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic before returning in a reduced format with eight teams in 2021. It expanded back to 16 teams in 2022 and 2023 but has gradually shrunk in recent years, featuring 14 teams in 2024 and 11 teams in 2025.

With the CBI on pause, attention shifts to the College Basketball Crown, which debuted last season with a 16-team bracket. The tournament will feature eight teams in its second year.

The Crown has gained attention as a potential alternative postseason destination, particularly because participating programs receive name, image and likeness (NIL) payments that can be distributed among players—an incentive not typically available in traditional postseason tournaments.

The absence of the CBI this year leaves fewer postseason opportunities for teams hoping to extend their seasons after missing the NCAA Tournament field. Organizers indicated, however, that they intend for the event to return in 2027.