Big 12 announces international extension with plans to play baseball, basketball and soccer games in Mexico

The Big 12 Conference made an exciting announcement Thursday, revealing the launch of Big 12 Mexico, the Conference’s first international extension.

Big 12 Mexico will hold sporting events in Mexico and include men’s and women’s basketball and soccer along with baseball games, and their first contest will be a men’s and women’s basketball matchup between Kansas and Houston at Arena CDMX in Mexico City scheduled for December of 2024. 

“Mexico is a natural extension to the Big 12 footprint, and I’m thrilled to introduce Big 12 Mexico as the Conference’s first-ever international presence,” said Commissioner Brett Yormark. “Through Big 12 Mexico, our student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete in an international setting, and our Conference will have the chance to showcase our brand across Mexico.”

ESPN and FOX Sports will aid the Big 12 leading up to their launch, sending the Big 12 product across Mexico and Spanish-speaking communities by airing select Big 12 football and basketball games on their Mexican and Spanish-speaking networks. The conference is also exploring possibly airing Spanish radio broadcasts for the next Big 12 Football and Basketball Championship games for the very first time.

Additionally, the conference also revealed that they are exploring the possibility of establishing a football bowl game in Monterrey starting in 2026, which would make history as the first bowl game ever to be held in Mexico.

Big 12 exploring Mexico bowl game, will put on regular season basketball game in 2024

The college football landscape continues to change — this time with a possible Big-12 bowl expansion into Mexico.

College football could join college basketball’s efforts in expanding south of the United States border. Two of which are already slated for December 2024. The bowl game, on the other hand, would be held in Monterrey, Mexico beginning during the 2026 postseason.

“The Big 12 is exploring starting a bowl game in Mexico in the postseason of 2026, with the site targeted to be Monterrey. The league will also hold a regular season game w/Houston and Kansas in Mexico City in 2024 in men’s and women’s basketball,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel wrote on Twitter.

Thamel also reports that Big 12 baseball and women’s soccer teams are set to play local teams in Mexico in exhibition matchups as well.

If the deal for the bowl game goes through, it will be the second international bowl game that the NCAA hosts, joining the Bahamas Bowl. Historically, it will be the fourth-ever bowl game to be regularly played outside of the United States, but never in Mexico.

On3’s Barkley Truax contributed to this report