Professional Bull Riders is riding into Glendale in a big way. The city has been tapped to host the 2027 PBR World Finals championship weekend, set for May 20 to 23, 2027, at Desert Diamond Arena. The multiweekend format sticks around, with opening rounds staying in Fort Worth’s Stockyards at Cowtown Coliseum in early May before the action shifts to the Valley. The move follows a new multiyear partnership between TKO Group Holdings and the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance aimed at bringing marquee live events to Arizona.
Schedule and tickets
According to PBR, championship weekend in Glendale will run May 20 to 23, 2027, with the opening rounds scheduled for May 6 to 9 at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth. Tickets for the Glendale championship weekend went on sale last Thursday at 10 a.m. MST and are available at PBRWorldFinals.com/2027, where fans can choose between full event packages and individual sessions.
Why Glendale
PBR CEO and Commissioner Sean Gleason called Arizona “a proven championship stage” and said bringing the championship weekend to Glendale “puts our sport on that same world class platform,” according to PBR. Jay Parry, president and CEO of the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance, said Glendale and the broader Arizona market offer an ideal backdrop for the event and that officials are ready to welcome the world’s top riders and fans.
From Las Vegas to Fort Worth to Arizona
The World Finals were staged in Las Vegas from 1994 through 2021 and shifted to Fort Worth in 2022 as PBR adopted a rotating host city model to grow its national footprint. Recent Finals weeks have drawn tens of thousands of fans and generated significant local economic impact, making new host cities an attractive prize for promoters, according to Sports Business Journal.
What it means locally
Desert Diamond Arena is already a regular stop for PBR premier events and is home to the Arizona Ridge Riders, giving the World Finals a built in fan base in the Valley, local partners say. The Arizona Sports & Events Alliance and arena officials say they expect the championship weekend to boost hotel bookings, restaurants and surrounding businesses, and they plan to work with TKO and PBR on logistics as fans pour into the area.
How to plan
Fans looking to go should keep an eye on PBRWorldFinals.com/2027 for ticket options, schedule updates and travel guidance. Those planning to hit the opening rounds in Fort Worth will need to plan separate travel for the May 6 to 9 dates at Cowtown Coliseum and watch for local transit and hotel advisories as both events get closer.
