The Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament is getting a makeover for 2026-27. The WBIT drops from 32 teams to 24, adds new selection standards, and keeps its semifinals and championship in Wichita. It all lands as the NCAA Division I Women’s Tournament expands to 76 teams. Here is the new WBIT format, how teams qualify, the key dates, and a printable bracket to fill in on Selection Sunday.
What is new for the 2027 WBIT
The field shrinks to 24 teams and the selection criteria tighten around winning percentage and advanced metrics. The preliminary rounds are played on campus sites before the tournament moves to Koch Arena in Wichita, where Wichita State hosts the semifinals on March 29 and the championship on March 31.
The new 24-team bracket format
Like the NIT, the WBIT now runs on a bye structure. The top eight seeds get a first-round bye. The remaining 16 teams play eight first-round games, and those winners meet the top eight seeds in the second round before the bracket narrows through the quarterfinals and semifinals. Preliminary rounds are hosted on campus sites, rewarding the better-seeded teams with home games, before the final weekend in Wichita.
How teams get in: the new selection rules
The WBIT tightens its at-large standards and spells out clearer automatic paths.
A .500 floor. A team now needs at least a .500 overall winning percentage to be considered for an at-large bid.
Metric-based consideration. Any team with an average NET and Wins Above Bubble (WAB) ranking of 100 or better is automatically placed on the committee’s under-consideration list.
Automatic qualifiers. Regular-season conference champions whose average NET and WAB ranking is 110 or better earn automatic qualification to the WBIT.
First Four Out as No. 1 seeds. The teams that just miss the expanded 76-team NCAA field, the “First Four Out,” receive automatic WBIT bids and are seeded No. 1, with the right to host until the tournament reaches Wichita. If any decline, the committee selects replacement No. 1 seeds.
Key dates and where to watch
| Round | Date | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday (field announced) | March 14 | TBD |
| Preliminary rounds | Mid-to-late March | Campus sites |
| Semifinals | March 29 | Koch Arena, Wichita |
| Championship | March 31 | Koch Arena, Wichita |
ESPN is the exclusive broadcast partner of the WBIT, so every game airs across ESPN networks.
Printable 2027 WBIT bracket
The field is set on Selection Sunday, so print the blank 24-team bracket now and fill it in when the pairings are announced. The top eight seeds are marked with their first-round byes.
Download the printable 2027 WBIT bracket (PDF)
More 2026-27 college basketball
The men’s side changed the same way: see our 2027 NIT 24-team format guide. For the main events, head to the 2027 March Madness schedule and printable bracket, and explore the season in the College Basketball Schedule Hub.
