ESPN Events to Host First-Ever Women’s College Basketball Matchup in Peraton Armed Forces Classic – Louisville and UConn to Play at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Nov. 4, 2025

November 6, 2024

ESPN Events will host the first-ever women’s college basketball matchup in the Peraton Armed Forces Classic to tip off the 2025-26 season when perennial powers Louisville and UConn play at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Ramstein – site of the inaugural Armed Forces Classic in 2012, which featured the UConn men vs. Michigan State – will host the event for the third time. The air base also hosted Texas A&M vs. West Virginia in the 2017 event.

Peraton, the world’s leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider that delivers national security solutions and technologies, returns as the title sponsor after sponsoring the event in 2022, which featured Michigan State vs. Gonzaga playing on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in San Diego Harbor.

“We are honored to continue to celebrate the lives and contributions of our military and their families,” said Clint Overby, Vice President, ESPN Events. “The opportunity to stage a major Division I women’s basketball game in front of the military on an overseas base is truly a rewarding experience. We look forward to tipping off the 2025 season with this marquee game in this unique venue.”

Having won 11 NCAA National Championships, the Connecticut Huskies and legendary Coach Geno Auriemma – on the verge of becoming the all-time winningest coach in college basketball – have long been one of the most dominant programs in NCAA women’s basketball history, known for consistently leading the nation in wins, championships and overall performance.

“We want to do as much as we possibly can, both personally and team-wise, to support our armed forces,” said Coach Auriemma. “I’m glad we’re getting the opportunity to go overseas and have many of our military members see us play in person. I know it’ll be an experience of a lifetime for everyone in our program.”

The Louisville Cardinals and its strong track record in NCAA tournaments, recently reached a historic milestone with its 1,000^thprogram win, making it one of only 27 women’s programs to achieve this level of success and solidifying their position as a powerhouse in women’s college basketball.

“We are extremely thankful to be selected for the 2025 Armed Forces Classic,” said Coach Walz. “It will be an incredible experience for our players and staff to play in front of some of our nation’s heroes overseas. We look forward to the opportunity to showcase women’s basketball on an international stage.”

Owned and operated by ESPN Events, the Armed Forces Classic was created in 2012 as part of ESPN’s annual America’s Heroes: Salute to Veteran’s initiative, which dedicates a week of multiplatform programming for Veterans Day.

ESPN Events 
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In 2024, the 34-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, the premiere regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. Follow ESPN Events on Facebook, Twitter/X and YouTube.

ESPN Events Armed Forces Classic Locations:

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Media Contacts:
Danny Chi at 213-405-4400 or danny.c.chi@espn.com
Andrea DiCristoforo at 213-405-4612 or andrea.dicristoforo@espn.com