The road to the 2026 Final Four is officially paved with automatic bids as “Champ Week” reaches its peak. Following Gonzaga’s dominant WCC title run and Queens’ historic first-ever bid out of the ASUN, over a dozen teams have now secured their spot in the field of 68. With the Power 5 conference tournaments entering the quarterfinal rounds, the number of automatic qualifiers is set to double in the next 48 hours, leaving precious few at-large spots remaining for teams on the bubble.
Last Updated: March 13th, 2026
Selection Sunday Countdown
- Selection Sunday: March 15, 2026
- Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
- TV: CBS
2026 March Madness Automatic Bids – Men’s Automatic Bid Tracker
Here’s the 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament automatic bid tracker for you. We have the date the conference tournament championships will take place, and we’ll update you on which team wins their respective tournament.
2026 Men’s Automatic Qualifiers (Updated March 13)
The field of 68 is filling up fast with our March Madness Automatic Bids. Here are the latest
| Conference | Confirmed 2026 Champion | Result / Detail |
| ACC | TBD (Saturday) | Duke and Virginia advanced to the finals tonight. |
| ASUN | Queens Univ. Royals | Defeated Central Arkansas 98–93 in OT. |
| Big Sky | Idaho Vandals | Defeated Montana 77–66. |
| Big South | High Point Panthers | Defeated Winthrop 91–76 (finished 30-4). |
| CAA | Hofstra Pride | Defeated Monmouth 75–69. |
| Horizon League | Wright State Raiders | Defeated Detroit Mercy 66–63. |
| MAAC | Siena Saints | Defeated Merrimack 64–54. |
| Missouri Valley | Northern Iowa Panthers | Defeated UIC 84–69. |
| NEC | LIU Sharks | Defeated Mercyhurst 79–70. |
| Ohio Valley | Tennessee State Tigers | Defeated Morehead State 93–67. |
| Patriot League | Lehigh Mountain Hawks | Defeated Boston U 74–60. |
| SoCon | Furman Paladins | Defeated ETSU 76–61. |
| Southland | McNeese Cowboys | Defeated Stephen F. Austin 76–59. |
| Summit League | N. Dakota State Bison | Defeated North Dakota 70–62. |
| Sun Belt | Troy Trojans | Defeated Georgia Southern 77–61. |
| WCC | Gonzaga Bulldogs | Defeated Santa Clara 79–68. |
The “LIU Clause” Explained
In a unique “Championship Week” scenario, LIU has officially secured the NEC’s automatic bid to March Madness before their championship game is even completed. Because their championship opponent is currently in the NCAA’s transition period and ineligible for the Big Dance, the automatic bid defaults to LIU. They will represent the NEC in the First Four or the Round of 64 regardless of the conference tournament outcome.
2026 March Madness Resources & Coverage
As teams begin to punch their tickets, the 2026 bracket is rapidly taking shape. Use the resources below to stay ahead of the curve as we approach Selection Sunday.
- 2026 March Madness Hub: Brackets, Schedules & TV Guides – Your home base for every printable PDF and broadcast time you need for the tournament.
- 2026 Bubble Watch: Last 4 In & First 4 Out – Updated daily. See which high-major teams are in danger of being bumped by “Bid Thieves.”
- The Cinderella List: 7 Mid-Majors Primed to Bust Your Bracket – Analysis of the automatic qualifiers who have the best chance to pull off a first-round upset.
- Selection Sunday 2026: Date, Time, and TV Channel – Set your calendar for the official 68-team field reveal.
- 2026 Women’s March Madness Schedule – All of the info on the Women’s tournament schedule & bracket.
- 2026 Women’s March Madness Automatic Bid Tracker – All of the automatic bids as they happen
The Mid-Major “Bid Thieves” to Watch
Championship Week is famous for “Bid Thieves” – teams that weren’t going to make the tournament but win their conference title anyway, effectively stealing a spot from a high-major bubble team. Keep a close watch on the Mountain West and Atlantic 10 tournaments this year; both leagues are deep enough that a surprise champion could drastically shift the bubble for teams in the ACC and Big 12.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which conference gets the first automatic bid in 2026? The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) is scheduled to be the first to crown its champion on March 7, 2026.
Does the regular-season champion get the automatic bid? A: No. In the NCAA, the automatic bid is strictly awarded to the winner of the conference’s post-season tournament. If a regular-season champion loses, they must wait for an “at-large” invitation.
How many total teams are in the 2026 Men’s Tournament? There are 68 teams in total. 31 receive automatic bids, and the remaining 37 are selected as “at-large” teams by the NCAA Committee.
Who was the first men’s team to qualify for 2026 March Madness? Tennessee State was the first team to win their conference tournament final on March 7, 2026, officially securing their spot.
Why did LIU get a bid before their championship game? The LIU Sharks secured the NEC’s automatic bid on Saturday after winning their semifinal. They will play Mercyhurst in the NEC Final on Tuesday; however, since Mercyhurst is in a multi-year transition to Division I, they are ineligible for the NCAA Tournament. Per NCAA rules, the automatic bid goes to the eligible finalist—LIU.
