Regional play is complete for the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Softball Tournament, reducing the field of 64 down to the final 16 teams. The tournament now advances to the Super Regional round, featuring eight best-of-three series played from Thursday, May 21, through Sunday, May 24. The winning programs from each site earn a spot in the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) in Oklahoma City. Below is the updated tournament schedule, confirmed Super Regional matchups, and the printable 2026 NCAA Softball Tournament Bracket for you.
The download takes you to the official NCAA DI Softball bracket that is updated as the tournament moves along.
2026 Postseason Timeline & Key Dates
While the NCAA will finalize exact game times following Selection Sunday, the following confirmed window provides the roadmap for the 2026 NCAA DI Women’s softball tournament:
- Selection Sunday: May 10, 2026 (Confirmed)
- Regionals (Campus Sites): May 15–17*
- Super Regionals (Campus Sites): May 21–24*
- Women’s College World Series (OKC): May 28 – June 5
*Not confirmed yet, could start a day sooner, end a day later. Finalized in May.
2026 NCAA Softball Regional Sites and Hosts
The top 16 national seeds will host a double-elimination regional this weekend (May 15–17). The winners of these regionals will advance to the best-of-three Super Regionals.
- Athens Regional – Athens, Georgia (Host: Georgia)
- Austin Regional – Austin, Texas (Host: Texas)
- Baton Rouge Regional – Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Host: LSU)
- Bryan-College Station Regional – Bryan-College Station, Texas (Host: Texas A&M)
- Durham Regional – Durham, North Carolina (Host: Duke)
- Eugene Regional – Eugene, Oregon (Host: Oregon)
- Fayetteville Regional – Fayetteville, Arkansas (Host: Arkansas)
- Gainesville Regional – Gainesville, Florida (Host: Florida)
- Knoxville Regional – Knoxville, Tennessee (Host: Tennessee)
- Lincoln Regional – Lincoln, Nebraska (Host: Nebraska)
- Los Angeles Regional – Los Angeles, California (Host: UCLA)
- Lubbock Regional – Lubbock, Texas (Host: Texas Tech)
- Norman Regional – Norman, Oklahoma (Host: Oklahoma)
- Stillwater Regional – Stillwater, Oklahoma (Host: Oklahoma State)
- Tallahassee Regional – Tallahassee, Florida (Host: Florida State)
- Tuscaloosa Regional – Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Host: Alabama – No. 1 National Seed)
Understanding the Tournament Format
The NCAA softball postseason utilizes a “weed-out” format designed to find the most dominant team in the country:
- The Regionals (64 Teams): Teams are split into 16 campus sites. Each site plays a four-team, double-elimination bracket. Only the winner of each Regional advances.
- The Super Regionals (16 Teams): The 16 remaining teams are paired for a high-stakes, best-of-three series at eight campus sites.
- The WCWS (8 Teams): The “Final Eight” advance to Oklahoma City for a double-elimination tournament, culminating in a best-of-three
- Championship Series starting June 3.
Super Regional Matchups Table 2026
(Best-of-three series played Thursday, May 21 to Sunday, May 24. Host teams/higher seeds are listed first).
- No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 LSU Dates: May 21–24
Times/TV: TBD (ESPN Networks) - No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 4 Oklahoma State Dates: May 21–24
Times/TV: TBD (ESPN Networks) - No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 5 Mississippi State Dates: May 21–24
Times/TV: TBD (ESPN Networks) - No. 1 Texas vs. No. 5 Arizona State Dates: May 21–24
Times/TV: TBD (ESPN Networks) - No. 2 Florida vs. No. 3 Texas Tech Dates: May 21–24
Times/TV: TBD (ESPN Networks) - No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 3 Georgia Dates: May 21–24
Times/TV: TBD (ESPN Networks) - No. 2 Arkansas vs. No. 3 Duke Dates: May 21–24
Times/TV: TBD (ESPN Networks)
- No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 6 UCF Dates: May 21–24
Times/TV: TBD (ESPN Networks)
2026 Regional Round Summary
The regional finals concluded on Sunday, May 17. Only two regional sites extended to a deciding second game on the final day of the round:
- Durham Regional: Duke defeated Arizona twice consecutively to secure advancement.
- Tallahassee Regional: UCF defeated Florida State in the final game after losing to the Seminoles earlier in the afternoon.
Thirteen of the tournament’s top 16 national seeds advanced to the Super Regionals. The three unseeded programs that advanced outside of the top 16 seeds are Mississippi State, UCF, and Arizona State.
2026 Women’s College World Series Schedule
The final eight teams will compete in a double-elimination format at Devon Park in Oklahoma City to determine the national champion. Below is the complete broadcast schedule for the WCWS.
| Game | Day / Date | Time (ET) | TV Network |
| Game 1 | Thursday, May 28 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game 2 | Thursday, May 28 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game 3 | Thursday, May 28 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Game 4 | Thursday, May 28 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Game 5 | Friday, May 29 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Game 6 | Friday, May 29 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Game 7 | Saturday, May 30 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC |
| Game 8 | Saturday, May 30 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game 9 | Sunday, May 31 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC |
| Game 10 | Sunday, May 31 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Game 11 | Monday, June 1 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game 12 | Monday, June 1 | 2:30 p.m. (if nec) | ESPN |
| Game 13 | Monday, June 1 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Game 14 | Monday, June 1 | 9:30 p.m. (if nec) | ESPN2 |
| Championship G1 | Wednesday, June 3 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Championship G2 | Thursday, June 4 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Championship G3 | Friday, June 5 | 8:00 p.m. (if nec) | ESPN |
[DOWNLOAD] Printable 2026 DI Women’s Softball Bracket (PDF)
Our exclusive, printer-friendly bracket is ready for you to track the 16 national seeds and the road to Devon Park. Features confirmed dates and the 64-team layout. This is our blank bracket. The filled in bracket with seeds is available for you via the download buttons at the top and bottom of the article.
2026 Softball Tournament FAQ
Where is the 2026 Women’s College World Series played? The finals return to Devon Park (formerly USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
How are the 64 teams selected? The field consists of 32 automatic qualifiers (conference champions) and 32 at-large bids selected by the NCAA committee. The committee also designates the top 16 “National Seeds” who host the Regional round.
What channel is the NCAA Softball Tournament on? ESPN holds the exclusive rights to the tournament. Games will be spread across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ABC, with additional early-round coverage on ESPN+.
What is the format for the NCAA Softball Super Regionals? The Super Regional round consists of eight separate campus sites playing a best-of-three game series. The first team to win two games at their site wins the Super Regional and advances to the final eight-team tournament field.
Who hosts the Super Regional matchups? Hosting rights are awarded to the higher-seeded team in each matchup. If two unseeded teams face each other, the NCAA selection committee determines the host site based on stadium criteria and bid submissions.
When and where is the Women’s College World Series (WCWS)? The 2026 Women’s College World Series begins on Thursday, May 28, and runs through the championship series concluding on June 2 or 3, 2026. The entire event is held at Devon Park (formerly USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
What television channels broadcast the Super Regionals? Exclusive broadcasting rights belong to the ESPN family of networks. Games will air across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU, with digital streaming available via the ESPN App and ESPN+.
Strategic “Moat” Links
- 2026 Men’s DI Baseball Tournament Schedule & Bracket (MCWS)
- 2026 MLB Playoff Picture & Printable Matchups
- Detroit Tigers 2026 Schedule: Printable PDF
