2026 AUSL Championship Coming to Davis Diamond at Texas A&M; Game 1 on ABC a First for Pro Softball

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The 2026 AUSL Championship Series will be played at Davis Diamond on the Texas A&M campus from July 23 through July 27, the league announced Thursday, and Game 1 on Saturday, July 25 will air nationally on ABC — the first professional softball game in history broadcast on network television.

Commissioner Kim Ng confirmed the venue, dates and broadcast plan in the league announcement. The decision sends the inaugural six-team season’s championship weekend to one of college softball’s most established programs and pairs it with the biggest broadcast platform professional softball has ever had.

The Championship Schedule

The postseason opens Thursday, July 23 with the Play-In Game between the second- and third-ranked regular-season teams. The winner advances to face the top seed in a best-of-three final.

Championship Game 1 airs Saturday, July 25 on ABC. Game 2 follows Sunday, July 26 on ESPN. If the series goes the distance, Game 3 is set for Monday, July 27, also on ESPN. All games are at Davis Diamond.

Why Texas A&M

Davis Diamond sits on the Texas A&M campus in College Station and has hosted NCAA regional and super regional softball play in recent seasons. The selection pairs a purpose-built softball venue with a community that has shown it will fill a ballpark for the sport.

“We’re thrilled to bring the AUSL Championship to College Station and Texas A&M. This is one of the top softball venues in the country, and College Station has established itself as a premier destination for major sporting events.”

— Kim Ng, AUSL Commissioner

Ng’s statement points to the venue, the city and the local partnership as the reasons for the selection. College Station Mayor John Nichols welcomed the announcement in a league statement of his own, framing the championship as a natural fit for a city and a university that have built a softball identity over the past decade.

“Softball runs deep here, and hosting this championship at one of the nation’s premier collegiate venues is a natural fit. It’s an opportunity to showcase the strength of our partnership with Texas A&M, create a high-level experience for athletes and fans and introduce new audiences to everything that makes College Station stand out.”

— John Nichols, Mayor of College Station

ABC Broadcast: A First for Professional Softball

Game 1’s ABC slot is the headline beyond the venue. Professional softball has aired on cable networks for years, including ESPN and ESPN2 as part of the AUSL’s 50-game broadcast package. Network television is a different tier of reach.

The league’s own description in the announcement reads, “Game 1 of the AUSL Championship will air nationally on ABC, marking the first professional softball game ever to be broadcast on network television.” No professional women’s softball game has previously aired on ABC, NBC, CBS or Fox.

Tickets

A 24-hour presale for AUSL season ticket holders opened Thursday, April 16 at 10 a.m. CT. The general public on-sale is set for Friday, April 17 at 10 a.m. CT. Ticket information and links are available through the AUSL website.

The 2026 regular season opens Tuesday, June 9 with all six teams in action. The full postseason window runs July 23 through July 27 at Davis Diamond. See the full schedule for game-by-game dates and venues.