SEC Media Days Coming to Tampa in 2026, First Time in Florida

The SEC picked Tampa as its next stop for Football Media Days, marking the first Florida location in the event's history. The gathering runs July 20-23, 2026.

Two hotels will split hosting duties, the JW Marriott and Tampa Marriott Water Street. Both sit near downtown's waterfront by Benchmark International Arena, where the Tampa Bay Lightning hit the ice.

This marks the fourth city switch in four years for the big preseason event. Atlanta's Omni and College Football Hall of Fame had it in 2025. Dallas took 2024, while Nashville played host in 2023.

"It's not the first time that the SEC has held events in Tampa, as the city hosted SEC men's basketball tournaments in 2008 and 2022." wrote Kevin Brockway in the Gainsville Sun.

Tampa's selection starts a streak of major college football action in the city. The 2027 Georgia-Florida matchup moves there while Jacksonville fixes its stadium. Then Raymond James Stadium gets the spotlight for the 2028 College Football Playoff title game on Jan. 22, 2029.

Florida's Gators won't need to travel far. Their Gainesville campus sits just under three hours from Tampa's downtown core.

Alabama owned this event for decades. The Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover kept it from 2001 to 2021. Birmingham had it first, hosting at various spots from 1985 to 2000.

Each summer, this media blitz brings SEC football coaches and stars together. Their press talks and interviews signal that college football season draws near.