UConn-Louisville gives the starting signal for the 2025/26 season in Germany

The UConn and Louisville women's basketball teams will kick off the 2025-26 season at the Armed Forces Classic at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

Previous editions of the event have been held since 2012, but the Nov. 4, 2025 game announced Thursday will be the first to feature women's basketball.

“We want to do as much as we can, both personally and as a team, to support our armed forces,” Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma said in a statement. “I’m glad we get the opportunity to go overseas and have a lot of our military members come see us play in person. I know it will be an unforgettable experience for everyone in our program.”

The competition will be broadcast on ESPN.

“We are extremely grateful to be selected for the 2025 Armed Forces Classic,” Louisville coach Jeff Walz said in a statement. “It will be an incredible experience for our players and staff to play abroad in front of some of our country’s heroes. We look forward to the opportunity to showcase women’s basketball on an international stage.”

UConn and Louisville opened the 2024-25 season ranked No. 2 and 17, respectively, in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll.

Ramstein hosted the Armed Forces Classic in 2012 and 2017. Other locations included South Korea, Puerto Rico, Japan, Hawaii, Alaska and Texas.

–Field level media