The 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament begins Wednesday, March 18, with the First Four and concludes with the National Championship on Sunday, April 5 in Phoenix. Every game will be broadcast across the ESPN family of networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPNU, and ESPNews), with the Title Game airing on ABC..
2026 Women’s First Four Schedule
The 2026 Women’s First Four schedule kicks off on Wed, March 18th, 2026. All of the games will be shown on ESPN2.
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | TV |
| Wed, Mar 18 | 7:00 PM | (11) Nebraska vs. (11) Richmond | ESPN2 |
| Wed, Mar 18 | 9:00 PM | (16) Missouri State vs. (16) SFA | ESPN2 |
| Thu, Mar 19 | 7:00 PM | (16) Southern U. vs. (16) Samford | ESPN2 |
| Thu, Mar 19 | 9:00 PM | (10) Virginia vs. (10) Arizona State | ESPN2 |
📥 Download and Print the 2026 Women’s Bracket & Schedule (PDF)
2026 Women’s First Round (Friday, March 20)
| Time (ET) | Matchup | TV |
| 11:30 AM | (3) Duke vs. (14) Col. of Charleston | ESPN2 |
| 12:00 PM | (3) TCU vs. (14) UC San Diego | ESPN |
| 1:30 PM | (8) Oregon vs. (9) Virginia Tech | ESPN2 |
| 2:00 PM | (6) Baylor vs. First Four Winner | ESPN |
| 3:00 PM | (5) Maryland vs. (12) Murray State | ESPNU |
| 4:00 PM | (1) Texas vs. First Four Winner | ESPN |
| 6:00 PM | (2) LSU vs. (15) Jacksonville | ESPN |
| 8:00 PM | (7) NC State vs. (10) Tennessee | ESPN |
| 10:00 PM | (4) Oklahoma vs. (13) Idaho | ESPN |
2026 Women’s First Round (Saturday, March 21)
| Time (ET) | Matchup | TV |
| 11:30 AM | (3) Ohio State vs. (14) Howard | ESPN2 |
| 1:00 PM | (1) South Carolina vs. First Four Winner | ABC |
| 2:00 PM | (6) Notre Dame vs. (11) Fairfield | ESPN |
| 3:00 PM | (1) UConn vs. (16) UTSA | ABC |
| 4:00 PM | (2) Iowa vs. (15) FDU | ESPN |
| 5:30 PM | (8) Iowa State vs. (9) Syracuse | ESPN2 |
| 7:30 PM | (8) Oklahoma State vs. (9) Princeton | ESPN2 |
| 10:00 PM | (1) UCLA vs. (16) California Baptist | ESPN |
Key Dates & TV Schedule
- First & Second Rounds: March 20-23 (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ABC, ESPNews)
- Sweet 16 & Elite Eight: March 27-30 (ESPN, ABC)
- Final Four: Friday, April 3 (7:00 PM ET, ESPN)
- National Championship: Sunday, April 5 (3:30 PM ET, ABC)
Related Tournament Resources
🏀 2026 Men’s March Madness Bracket Bundle – Download the official 68-team Men’s field.
📅 2026 NIT Bracket & Schedule – Follow the 32-team invitation tournament.
📈 AI Bracket Predictions & Sleeper Picks – Data-driven insights to help you win your pool.
FAQ: 2026 Women’s March Madness Schedule
When is the 2026 Women’s Selection Sunday? The 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament field was officially revealed on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN.
What channel is the Women’s National Championship on? The 2026 Women’s National Championship will air live on ABC at 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, April 5.
Who are the #1 seeds for the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament? The four #1 seeds for the 2026 tournament are UConn (No. 1 overall), UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina.
Where is the 2026 Women’s Final Four being played? The Final Four and National Championship will be held at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
How many teams are in the Women’s NCAA Tournament? The field consists of 68 teams. The tournament begins with the “First Four” play-in games to narrow the field to the primary 64-team bracket.
Where can I stream Women’s March Madness games? All games can be streamed via the ESPN app or ESPN+ with a valid cable or streaming service login.
