The 2026 College Cup brings a first: the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s soccer national finals will be played on the same weekend, in the same city. Both College Cups head to Cary, North Carolina for the second full weekend of December 2026, after a rule change pushed the women’s championship a week later. Below are the key dates, how each bracket works, a printable College Cup bracket, and where to watch the road to Cary.
2026 College Cup Quick Facts
- Host city: Cary, North Carolina (WakeMed Soccer Park), for both the men’s and women’s College Cup in 2026 and 2027.
- College Cup weekend: the second full weekend of December 2026 (around December 11 to 14).
- What is new: the women’s final moves one week later, so the men’s and women’s College Cups share a weekend for the first time.
- Why it changed: new NCAA legislation extends the Division I soccer season by two weeks for more rest and less missed class time.
- Field size: 64 teams in the women’s tournament, 48 teams in the men’s tournament.
- Brackets revealed: mid-November 2026 on the NCAA Selection Shows. We will fill in the matchups here as soon as they drop.
2026 College Cup Key Dates
| Stage | Dates (2026) | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Shows (brackets revealed) | Mid-November | National |
| First Round through Quarterfinals | Mid-November to early December | Campus sites |
| Women’s College Cup semifinals | Second full weekend of December (around Dec 11) | Cary, NC |
| Men’s College Cup semifinals | Second full weekend of December (around Dec 11) | Cary, NC |
| National Championship finals | Second full weekend of December (Dec 13 to 14) | Cary, NC |
Printable 2026 College Cup Bracket
Print the College Cup finals-weekend bracket and fill in the semifinalists as the field comes together. Both the men’s and women’s semifinals and finals are on one page, along with the key December dates.
The 2026 Schedule Shift, Explained
Through 2025, the Women’s College Cup was played on the first full weekend of December, a week before the men. Beginning in 2026, the women’s final moves to the second full weekend, the same weekend as the men’s College Cup. The change follows NCAA legislation that lengthens the Division I soccer regular season by about two weeks, giving players more rest and cutting missed class time. For fans, the payoff is a single December weekend in Cary with four national semifinalists on each side and two title games.
How the College Cup Bracket Works
Women’s (64 teams): a straight 64-team single-elimination bracket. It runs First Round, Second Round, Third Round (round of 16), Quarterfinals, then the College Cup semifinals and final in Cary. Conference tournament champions earn automatic bids, with the rest of the field filled by at-large selections.
Men’s (48 teams): the top 16 seeds receive a first-round bye. The other 32 teams play the First Round, then it is Second Round, Third Round (round of 16), Quarterfinals, and the College Cup semifinals and final in Cary. Automatic qualifiers come from the conference tournaments, with at-large bids rounding out the bracket.
Where the 2026 College Cup Is Played
Both finals are at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, a longtime College Cup host in one of the country’s deepest soccer regions. Cary holds the men’s and women’s College Cup in both 2026 and 2027.
How to Watch the Road to Cary
The NCAA soccer tournament rounds and the College Cup are carried across the ESPN family of networks and ESPN+ in the United States, with the national finals on linear ESPN channels. We will add exact broadcast windows once the NCAA confirms them for the College Cup weekend.
More From Sports Brackets
- 2026-27 Champions League League Phase: grid, key dates and printable tracker
- 2026 U.S. Open Cup bracket (printable)
- 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup: schedule, groups and printable bracket
2026 College Cup FAQ
When is the 2026 College Cup?
The second full weekend of December 2026, roughly December 11 to 14, in Cary, North Carolina, for both the men’s and women’s finals.
Why are the men’s and women’s finals on the same weekend now?
The Women’s College Cup shifted one week later starting in 2026 under a rule that extends the Division I soccer season, so it now shares the men’s College Cup weekend for the first time.
Where is the 2026 College Cup held?
WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, which also hosts the 2027 College Cup.
How many teams make the tournament?
The women’s tournament has a 64-team field and the men’s tournament has a 48-team field.
When are the brackets announced?
On the NCAA Selection Shows in mid-November 2026. We will post the matchups here as soon as they are revealed.
