One of college softball's premier early-season tournaments is returning to the Tampa Bay area, as ESPN Events has announced the 11-team field for the 2027 Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational. The tournament runs February 18–21 at Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, with Shriners Children's Hospital continuing as title sponsor for the eighth consecutive year of the event.
The field is loaded with postseason-tested programs, drawing from six different conferences. National runner-up Texas Tech headlines the group, joined by eight other teams that earned NCAA Tournament berths last season. The full lineup includes Clemson, East Carolina, Florida State, Liberty, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCF, Virginia Tech, and Washington.
This marks the eighth year the City of Clearwater has partnered with ESPN Events to host the invitational, which has become a fixture on President's Day weekend — a tradition set to continue when the tournament returns in 2028. The combination of high-level competition and Clearwater's outdoor facilities has made it a reliable draw for both teams and fans heading into the heart of the spring softball season.
A full game schedule will be released this fall, followed by an announcement of when tickets go on sale. Fans planning to attend are encouraged to act early once tickets become available. More details can be found at clearwaterinvitational.com.
Information for this article came from an ESPN Press Room release issued August 20, 2026.
