The 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament begins with Selection Sunday on March 15, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN. The tournament officially starts with the First Four on March 18-19, leading to the National Championship on April 5, 2026, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. All games will be broadcast across the ESPN family of networks (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN+).
2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament Daily Schedule
The road to the 2026 Final Four in Phoenix follows the standard 68-team single-elimination format. Selection Sunday is scheduled for March 15, 2026, where the brackets will be revealed live on ESPN.
Key Schedule Breakdown
| Round | Dates | TV Network |
| Selection Sunday | March 15 | ESPN (8 PM ET) |
| First Four | March 18-19 | ESPN2 / ESPN+ |
| First Round | March 20-21 | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 |
| Second Round | March 22-23 | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 |
| Sweet 16 | March 27-28 | ESPN / ABC |
| Elite Eight | March 29-30 | ESPN / ABC |
| Final Four | April 3 | ESPN |
| National Championship | April 5 | ABC |
Expert Note from the Sports Brackets Analyst: The 2026 women’s NCAA basketball field is deeper than ever following the major conference realignments. With the Big Ten now featuring 18 teams and the SEC adding Texas and Oklahoma, several ‘at-large’ teams from these power conferences will likely find themselves in the First Four. Watch for the regional hosts; in the women’s tournament, the top 16 seeds host the first and second rounds, providing a massive home-court advantage that usually keeps the favorites safe until the Sweet 16.
Looking for the guys? Check out the 2026 Men’s March Madness Schedule here.
2026 March Madness Women’s First Four Schedule
Stay updated with our daily College Basketball Tournament TV Guide throughout the tournament.
| Round | Dates | City | Venue | Host(s) |
| First Four | March 18-19 | Various | Various | TBD |
2026 March Madness Women’s First and Second Round Schedule
The locations for the 2026 March Madness Women’s First and Second rounds are TBD. Once they are confirmed by the NCAA, we’ll update you here for the location, venue, and host organization.
| Round | Dates | City | Venue | Host(s) |
| First/Second | March 20-23 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| First/Second | March 20-23 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
2026 Women’s Sweet 16 and Elite 8 Schedule
Just like in the 2025 Women’s March Madness schedule, the Women’s tournament regionals are in two locations. For 2026 March Madness, Fort Wort, TX and Sacramento, CA are the two host sites.
| Round | City | Venue | Dates | Host |
| Regional | Fort Worth, TX | Dickies Arena | March 27 – 30 | Big 12 ConferenceVisit Fort Worth |
| Regional | Sacramento, CA | Golden 1 Center | March 27 – 30 | California StateSacramento and SacramentoSports Commission |
2026 Women’s Final Four and Championship Game Schedule
The 2026 Women’s March Madness Final Four takes place at Phoenix Arena in Phoenix, AZ.
| Year | City | Venue | Dates | Host |
| 2026 | Phoenix, AZ | PHX Arena | April 3 & 5 | Arizona State University |
The Road to Phoenix: Automatic Bids
As of today, March 9, several teams have already punched their tickets via conference tournament titles. Keep an eye on the WCC Semifinals tonight and the upcoming Big 12 and SEC finishes to see who secures the top seeds before Sunday’s selection show.
Where is the 2026 Women’s Final Four?
The 2026 Final Four returns to the desert! The semifinals and national championship will be held at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. This marks a major milestone for the growth of the women’s game in the Southwest.
How to Stream Women’s March Madness
For cord-cutters, the 2026 tournament is more accessible than ever:
- ESPN+: Will stream every single game of the tournament, including the First Four.
- Hulu + Live TV / YouTube TV / Fubo: These services carry all ESPN linear channels and ABC.
- The ESPN App: Use your cable provider or streaming service login to watch on the go.
