Durham Wins Bid to Host CIAA Football Championship

Durham will host the CIAA football championship at Durham County Memorial Stadium from 2025 through 2027, the conference and Durham Sports Commission announced on Thursday.

“Durham has great history with this event and we are immensely proud to once again be hosting the CIAA Football Championship in Durham,” said Marcus Manning, executive director of the Durham Sports Commission. “We are dedicated to showcasing our vibrant community here in Durham, while also celebrating diversity and creating an unforgettable experience for fans, spectators, and student-athletes.”

The CIAA football championship had been in Salem, Virginia, since 2017. Salem and Charlotte also submitted bids to host the championship before the league settled on Durham, which hosted the title game from 2008–2012 and again in 2014–2015, with crowds of over 10,000 per game.

Founded in 1912, the CIAA is the longest running HBCU in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. Headquartered in Charlotte, the CIAA is comprised of Bowie State, Bluefield State, Claflin, Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, Johnson C. Smith, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine’s, Shaw, Virginia State, Virginia Union and Winston-Salem State.

“The CIAA looks forward to returning to Durham County Memorial Stadium,” said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams.  “Our recent media rights partnership with HBCU Go gives us the opportunity to showcase our top teams in a centralized location, again where the football championship has thrived in the past.  The CIAA will have an opportunity to engage in the community beyond the game in a way that supports the mission of the conference.”

The CIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship is already hosted by the Durham at the same venue as part of a three-year agreement that will run through 2025. CIAA member Shaw University hosts its home football and soccer games at the venue.