ROCKAWAY, NJ (May 26, 2016) - The Football University (FBU) National Championship tournament has named Wichita, Kan., as a host city for the Midwest Region for the 2016 national tournament. Beginning Dec. 2, Wichita will play host to the first three rounds of the FBU National Championship tournament, with 24 youth all-star teams vying for the title of National Champion.

Visit Wichita and the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission are the Midwest Region’s host city national sponsor of the 2016 FBU National Championship. They estimate the tournament will bring in $1.2 million in economic impact to the area.

Entering its fifth year, the FBU National Championship has been likened to a mash-up of the NCAA basketball tournament and the Little League World Series, and is considered the tournament that crowns the true National Champions in youth football. The single-elimination tournament features 64 teams from more than 30 states across the U.S. in three brackets – 6th, 7th and 8th grade – comprised of the 30 top athletes from each area.

“It’s always a pleasure to bring in visitors to Wichita, and it’s especially thrilling when we can welcome so many young people and their families,” said Susie Santo, president and CEO of Visit Wichita. “With more than 1,000 restaurants and eight major shopping districts to choose from while they’re here, we’re sure they will enjoy not only the excitement of the tournament, but also all the things there are to see and do here in our city.”

This year’s tournament continues the biggest youth football event to date, with 192 teams nationwide, including more than 250 games, 6,000 athletes and 1,200 coaches. In the aggregate, the tournament will showcase a total of 250 games in eight days, resulting in more than 1,000 hours of play.

The first three rounds will take place across four regional locales – Midwest, West, South and East – from Dec. 2-5. The Road To Naples concludes with Championship Weekend, set for Dec.17-20 in Naples, Fla., for the final sixteen teams in each of the three brackets.

“We are thrilled that Wichita is a Midwest Region host city,” said Douglas Berman, Chairman of All American Games. “We know that our athletes and their families will have an amazing time in Kansas’ largest city.”

The following locations will be home to the three regional rounds, from December 2-5:

The Independent School Stadium

8317 E. Douglas Ave.

Wichita, KS 67207

Trinity Academy Stadium

12345 E. 21st St. N

Wichita, KS 67206

“In Wichita, it’s no secret that we are passionate about sports,” said Bob Hanson, president and CEO of the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. “The two stadiums, The Independent School and Trinity Academy, are well-known, quality playing fields in the community and we are grateful for their openness to host this event.”

Please visit www.fbunc.com for updated tournament brackets and news updates. For game photos, video updates and additional tournament information, please visit us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

All American Games™ is a New Jersey-based sports marketing and event company. AAG owns and produces elite national youth and prep sporting events and properties, including the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Football University, FBU National Championship, and the FBU Top Gun Showcase.

Visit Wichita markets the greater Wichita area as a major convention and tourism destination, thereby enhancing the economic development of the city, county, region and state. Visit Wichita is led by president and CEO Susie Santo, and in 2015 travel and tourism contributed more than $1 billion in economic impact to the greater Wichita area.

The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission is a facilitator, driving the collaborative efforts of the region in attracting and hosting a wide variety of sporting events. The Sports Commission provides the experience and expertise in sports marketing and event management that has established our region as a sports destination. Since 1997, the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission has facilitated over 500 events in the Wichita area with a combined economic impact of over $407 million.

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