Louisville basketball's 2026-27 schedule includes a challenging schedule for Year 3 of the Kelsey era, following the team's first NCAA Tournament win since 2017 under coach Pat Kelsey. The Cardinals need a schedule that will challenge them early and often to maintain their strong performance. The team is set to play against four nonconference foes, Baylor, Cincinnati, Kentucky, and Memphis, as well as Baylor and Cincinnati. The Players Era Tournament, a new addition to Louisville's nonconference slate, will be held the week of Thanksgiving in Las Vegas. The event was originally planned from 18 teams in 2025 to a 32-team field in 2026, but organizers are reportedly considering scaling back to 24 teams. The Cards are also set to make their third appearance in the ACC/SEC Challenge and the first time in the conference tournament will be in Greensboro, North Carolina.