Selection Sunday 2026 is March 15, 2026. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Selection Show will air live at 6:00 PM ET (3:00 PM PT) on CBS. The NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Show will follow at 8:00 PM ET (5:00 PM PT) on ESPN. You can stream both shows live on Paramount+ (Men’s) and ESPN+ (Women’s).
Expert Note from the Sports Brackets Analyst: Pay close attention to the ‘Last Four In’ during the broadcast. In 2026, with the expansion of several major conferences, the bubble is more crowded than ever. History shows that teams playing in the First Four in Dayton often have a momentum advantage; since 2011, at least one First Four team has advanced to the Round of 32 in nearly every tournament.
Selection Sunday 2026 Bubble Watch (Updated March 9)
With conference tournaments in full swing, the “bubble” is shrinking fast. Championship Monday is punching several automatic bids tonight (WCC, SoCon, Sun Belt), which means the number of at-large spots is decreasing by the hour.
Current 2026 Men’s Bubble Situation:
- Safe (Lock): Kansas, UConn, Gonzaga, Alabama.
- Last Four In: Michigan State, St. John’s, Texas A&M, New Mexico.
- First Four Out: Providence, Butler, Colorado, Memphis.
The “Bid Stealer” Alert: A “bid stealer” is a team that is not projected to make the tournament as an at-large but wins its conference tournament championship. If a bid stealer emerges from a multi-bid league like the ACC or Pac-12 (e.g., NC State), they effectively take a spot from a team on the “Last Four In” list. Tonight’s WCC Championship (winner of Gonzaga/Saint Mary’s) is a critical matchup. If Saint Mary’s wins, they steal a bid from a bubble team.
How to Watch and Stream Selection Sunday 2026
Men’s Selection Show (6 PM ET / 3 PM PT)
- Network: CBS
- How to Stream Without Cable: * Paramount+: The direct streaming home for CBS.
- Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV: All carry CBS live.
Need to know when the games start? See the full 2026 March Madness Schedule.
Women’s Selection Show (8 PM ET / 5 PM PT)
- Network: ESPN
- How to Stream Without Cable: * ESPN+: Will stream the show live.
- Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Sling TV: All carry ESPN.
Get Your Brackets
As soon as the shows conclude, the scramble for brackets begins.
- Download Printable Brackets: We will have a Printable 2026 Men’s Bracket and Printable 2026 Women’s Bracket available for download seconds after the final teams are revealed.
2026 Women’s Selection Sunday: Date, Time and TV Channel
The 2026 NCAA Women’s Selection Sunday will also take place on March 15, 2026. The 68-team bracket will be revealed live on ESPN at 8:00 PM ET, immediately following the conclusion of the men’s selection show. With the explosive growth of women’s college basketball and the high-profile conference realignments in the Big Ten and SEC, this year’s selection show is expected to draw record viewership.
Fans can stream the women’s selection show via ESPN+ or the ESPN app. Once the seeds are announced, the road to the 2026 Women’s Final Four in Phoenix officially begins, with the First Four games tipping off just three days later. Looking for the women’s field? View our full 2026 Women’s Selection Sunday Guide here.
- Women’s Selection Sunday Date: Sunday, March 15, 2026
- Broadcast Time: 8:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live Stream: ESPN+ / Paramount+
Expert Note from the SportsBrackets Analyst: While the men’s bracket is often set by mid-afternoon, the women’s bracket reveal is the ‘prime time’ event for March 15. Pay close attention to the #1 through #4 seeds, as the top 16 teams in the women’s tournament earn the right to host the first and second rounds on their home campuses—a massive tactical advantage not found in the men’s format.
Full 2026 March Madness Schedule
Once the NCAA Tournament selections are finalized on March 15, the tournament follows this accelerated schedule leading to Indianapolis. Please note the First Four does start on St. Patrick’s Day this year.
- First Four: March 17-18 (Dayton, OH)
- First Round: March 19-20
- Second Round: March 21-22
- Sweet 16: March 26-27
- Elite Eight: March 28-29
- Final Four: Saturday, April 4 (Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis)
- National Championship: Monday, April 6
Wondering how to fill out your bracket? Check our Historical Records by Seed guide for winning strategies.
College Basketball Postseason Resources
- Championship Week 2026 – All Conference Tournaments Guide
- Printable 2026 March Madness Bracket
- 2026 Women’s March Madness Schedule
