The 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament begins with Selection Sunday on March 15, 2026. The tournament officially tips off with the First Four on March 17-18 and concludes with the National Championship on April 6, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Games will be broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV.
🏀 Follow Your Favorite Team(s) into the Big Dance!
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Quick March Madness Facts
- Selection Sunday: March 15, 2026
- First Round: March 19-20, 2026
- Sweet 16 / Elite Eight: March 26-29, 2026
- Primary Broadcasters: CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV.
- Printable Format: Available in PDF and Image formats on this page.
Expert Note from the Sports Brackets Analyst: While the 68-team format remains the standard for 2026, keep an eye on the First Four matchups in Dayton. Historically, at least one team from the First Four has advanced to the Round of 32 in 12 of the last 14 tournaments, making these early games essential for a winning bracket.
The 2026 March Madness Schedule will have all 68 teams selected for the tournament announced during the Selection Sunday broadcast on March 15th, 2026.
2026 March Madness Schedule & Key Dates
Men’s Tournament Key Dates
| Round | Dates | Location/Channel |
| Selection Sunday | March 15 | CBS (6 PM ET) |
| First Four | March 17-18 | UD Arena (Dayton, OH) / truTV |
| First Round | March 19-20 | Various Cities / CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV |
| Second Round | March 21-22 | Various Cities / CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV |
| Sweet 16 | March 26-27 | Houston, San Jose, Chicago, DC |
| Elite Eight | March 28-29 | Houston, San Jose, Chicago, DC |
| Final Four | April 4 | Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis) / TBS |
| Championship | April 6 | Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis) / TBS |
Women’s Tournament Key Dates
- Selection Sunday: March 15 (8 PM ET on ESPN)
- First Four: March 18-19
- First/Second Rounds: March 20-23
- Sweet 16/Elite Eight: March 27-30
- Final Four: April 3 (Phoenix, AZ)
- National Championship: April 5 (Phoenix, AZ)
How to Watch & Stream
- Television: CBS and Turner Sports (TBS, TNT, truTV) will air all 67 men’s games. The 2026 Final Four and National Championship will air on TBS.
- Streaming: * March Madness Live: The official app for all devices.
- Paramount+: Stream all games airing on CBS.
- Max (formerly HBO Max): Stream all games airing on TBS, TNT, and truTV via the B/R Sports Add-on.
- Live TV Services: YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and FuboTV.
- For a detailed breakdown of games and times, see our What Channel is the College Basketball Tournament on Today?
Printable 2026 March Madness Schedule Overview
Here is the printable 2026 March Madness schedule overview for you. Once Selection Sunday is over, download your Printable 2026 March Madness Bracket here.
| Date | Event | Location | TV/Network | Notes |
| March 15, 2026 | Selection Sunday | Studio (CBS) | CBS | 68-team bracket revealed 6 PM ET |
| March 17-18, 2026 | First Four | UD Arena, Dayton, OH | truTV | Play-in games for lowest seeds |
| March 19-22, 2026 | First & Second Rounds | Various regional sites | CBS/TBS/TNT/truTV | 64 teams → 16 |
| March 26-29, 2026 | Sweet 16 & Elite Eight | Regional sites | CBS/TBS/TNT/truTV | Final 8 → Final 4 |
| April 4, 2026 | Final Four | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN | TBS | Semifinals |
| April 6, 2026 | National Championship | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN | TBS | Champion crowned ~8:30 PM ET |
2026 March Madness First Four Schedule
| Round | Dates | City | Venue | Host(s) |
| First Four | March 17-18 | Dayton, OH | UD Arena | University of Dayton |
2026 March Madness First and Second Round Schedule
Some great locations for the opening rounds of the 2026 NCAA Men’s basketball tournament.
| First/Second | March 19-21 | Buffalo, NY | KeyBank Center | Metro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceCanisius CollegeNiagara University |
| First/Second | March 19-21 | Greenville, SC | Bon SecoursWellness Arena | FurmanSouthern Conference |
| First/Second | March 20-22 | Tampa, FL | Amalie Arena | University of South Florida |
| First/Second | March 19-21 | Oklahoma City, OK | Paycom Center | Big 12 Conference |
| First/Second | March 20-22 | Philadelphia, PA | Wells Fargo Center | Saint Joseph’s University |
| First/Second | March 19-21 | Portland, OR | Moda Center | Oregon State University |
| First/Second | March 20-22 | San Diego, CA | Viejas Arena | San Diego State University |
| First/Second | March 20-22 | St. Louis, MO | Enterprise Center | Missouri Valley Conference |
2026 Sweet 16 and Elite 8 Schedule
| Round | Dates | City | Venue | Host(s) |
| MidwestRegional | March 27-29 | Chicago, IL | United Center | Northwestern University |
| SouthRegional | March 26-28 | Houston, TX | Toyota Center | University of Houston |
| WestRegional | March 26-28 | San Jose, CA | SAP Center | San Jose State University |
| EastRegional | March 27-29 | Washington, D.C. | Capital One Arena | Georgetown University |
2026 Final Four and Championship Game Schedule
I tell you what. The good folks of Indianapolis definitely get spoiled at times in March Madness season! 2026 will be the fourth time since 2010 that the Men’s Final Four is held at the stadium. The great location is also on tap to host the 2029 Men’s Final Four. The Horizon League and IUPUI are the hosts for the 2026 Final Four.
| Round | Dates | City | Venue | Host(s) |
| Final Four/ Championship | April 4 & 6 | Indianapolis | Lucas Oil Stadium | Horizon League, IUPUI |
Why 2026 March Madness Matters Early
Conference tournaments (late Feb/early March) determine auto-bids; at-large teams battle for spots. Watch bubble teams, upsets, and conference races. Lucas Oil Stadium hosts for the 4th time (previously 2010, 2014, 2021)- expanded capacity for massive crowds.
Printable 2026 March Madness Bracket
If you are looking for a printable 2026 March Madness Bracket, we have you covered. You can download or print it to PDF format here. We always find it easier to use a printable version of the bracket to work on bracketology leading up to March.
Looking Ahead to 2027 – Selection Sunday March 14, championship April 5 at Ford Field, Detroit. Bookmark for updates closer to season.
