The 2026 Players Era Sixteen brings 16 of college basketball’s biggest programs to Las Vegas over Thanksgiving week, November 24-28, 2026, with every game on the ESPN family of networks. Sixteen teams are split into two eight-team brackets, each playing for places one through eight, and the two bracket winners meet in the Players Era Sixteen championship on Saturday, November 28. Below you will find the full bracket, the round-by-round schedule, a printable bracket PDF, and quick links to every participating team’s 2026-27 schedule.
The field and the format
Players Era has quickly become one of the richest and deepest events on the non-conference calendar, and the 2026 edition is loaded. The 16-team field spans the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Big East, WCC and Mountain West, mixing national-title contenders with NCAA Tournament regulars. For most of these teams, the games count as premium Quadrant 1 opportunities that shape their March Madness resume months before Selection Sunday.
The format is straightforward. The 16 teams are seeded into two brackets of eight. First-round games tip on Tuesday, November 24. Each bracket then plays a full slate of placement games, so every team finishes with a final ranking from first to eighth within its bracket. The bracket winners advance to the championship on Saturday, November 28. Games are staged at T-Mobile Arena and Michelob Ultra Arena, and 2026 marks the event’s first year broadcasting across ESPN platforms. Seeds and exact tip-off times are released closer to the event.
2026 Players Era Sixteen bracket
Here are the confirmed first-round matchups for both brackets. Fill in the winners as the week unfolds, or grab the printable version to bring to your watch party.
Bracket 1 (Tuesday, November 24)
| Tennessee | vs | Maryland |
| Iowa State | vs | San Diego State |
| St. John’s | vs | Oregon |
| Louisville | vs | Texas Tech |
Bracket 2 (Tuesday, November 24)
| Gonzaga | vs | Kansas State |
| Baylor | vs | Alabama |
| Michigan | vs | Creighton |
| Miami | vs | TCU |
Download the printable Players Era Sixteen bracket (PDF)
Round-by-round schedule
| Date | Round | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Nov 24 | First round (all 16 teams) | ESPN networks |
| Thu, Nov 26 | Second round and consolation games | ESPN networks |
| Fri, Nov 27 | Bracket finals and placement games | ESPN networks |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Players Era Sixteen championship | ESPN networks |
For the full national picture of what is on each night this season, bookmark our 2026-27 college basketball TV schedule, which tracks the channels and streaming homes for every window.
Every team’s 2026-27 schedule
Following a specific program through Las Vegas and beyond? Each card below links to that team’s full 2026-27 schedule, dates, TV and a printable of its own. Gonzaga and San Diego State point to our men’s college basketball hub while their standalone pages are built.
Bracket 1 teams
Bracket 2 teams
You can also browse all of these from the 2026-27 men’s college basketball schedule hub, and see how the week feeds into our printable 2027 March Madness bracket and the conference tournaments that follow: ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Big East.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 Players Era Sixteen?
The tournament runs Tuesday, November 24 through Saturday, November 28, 2026 in Las Vegas, with the championship on Saturday, November 28.
Which teams are in the 2026 Players Era Sixteen?
The 16-team field is Alabama, Baylor, Creighton, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Oregon, San Diego State, St. John’s, TCU, Tennessee and Texas Tech.
What channel is the Players Era Sixteen on?
All games are carried across the ESPN family of networks in 2026, the event’s first year on ESPN. Exact per-game networks and tip-off times are announced closer to the event; our college basketball TV schedule will have them as they post.
How does the Players Era Sixteen format work?
The 16 teams are split into two eight-team brackets. Each bracket plays placement games for positions one through eight, and the two bracket winners meet in the championship on November 28.
Is there a printable Players Era Sixteen bracket?
Yes. Use the orange button above to open a clean, printable bracket PDF with every first-round matchup and blank lines to fill in winners.
How does this affect March Madness?
These are marquee non-conference games that heavily influence NET rankings and Quadrant 1 records. Track how it all points toward March with our printable 2027 March Madness bracket.
