Hattiesburg is one of seven cities across the country recognized as a top destination for hosting sporting events.
Visit Hattiesburg announced the honor as part of the 2026 SportsTravel Awards. The magazine annually recognizes achievements across the sports tourism industry, and after an open nomination and nationwide voting process, Hattiesburg was selected as one of the top sports host cities.
The other finalists were Houston, Texas; Miami, Fla.; Monroe-West Monroe, La.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Virginia Beach, Va. Miami received the top award in the category.
Hattiesburg highlighted several major events in its application, including Southern Miss baseball hosting an NCAA regional and William Carey baseball hosting the opening round of the NAIA National Championship this past summer.
On the youth sports level, Hattiesburg pointed to its hosting of the Diamond Boys Baseball World Series. Other examples included the Big Rip Classic, Mississippi’s largest disc golf tournament, and a record-breaking Hattiesburg Half Marathon.
Combined, the events generated tens of millions of dollars in visitor spending, according to Visit Hattiesburg.
“Hattiesburg’s recognition as a top host city reflects the incredible growth of our sports tourism industry and the shared vision of our community partners,” Visit Hattiesburg CEO Marlo Dorsey said.
Dorsey added that more than $85 million is currently being invested in sports-related facilities across the city, including at the Hattiesburg Sports and Recreation Event Center and at Reed Green Coliseum on the campus of Southern Miss.
“We have worked intentionally to attract premier events, and that success would not be possible without the dedication of our venues, stakeholders, universities, volunteers, and local organizers, all of which play an important role in creating championship-caliber experiences,” she said. “We’re honored to be recognized on the national stage.”