The 2026 Players Era Eight is the eight-team half of the Players Era Festival, bringing a loaded field of national contenders to Las Vegas for November 17-19, 2026 at Michelob Ultra Arena, with every game on the ESPN family of networks. Below you will find the full bracket, the confirmed first-round matchups with tip times, the round-by-round schedule, a printable bracket PDF, and quick links to every team’s 2026-27 schedule.
The field and the format
Players Era has become one of the richest events on the non-conference calendar, and the eight-team bracket is stacked: blue bloods Kansas and Houston from the Big 12, SEC heavyweights Auburn and Florida, Notre Dame from the ACC, Rutgers from the Big Ten, West Virginia from the Big 12, and a dangerous UNLV side on its home floor. For every team here, these are premium Quadrant 1 games that shape a March Madness resume months before Selection Sunday.
The format mirrors the larger Players Era Sixteen. Eight teams play across three days, with first-round games on Tuesday, November 17. Every team is guaranteed multiple games and finishes with a final placement from first to eighth, and the championship is decided on Thursday, November 19. Games are staged at Michelob Ultra Arena, and tip times are approximate until the event confirms the final schedule.
2026 Players Era Eight bracket
Here are the confirmed first-round matchups for Tuesday, November 17, with approximate tip times. Fill in the winners as the bracket plays out, or grab the printable version to bring to your watch party.
First round (Tuesday, November 17)
| Houston | vs | Rutgers | 2:00 PM ET |
| Florida | vs | Notre Dame | 4:30 PM ET |
| Kansas | vs | UNLV | 9:30 PM ET |
| West Virginia | vs | Auburn | 12:00 AM ET |
Download the printable Players Era Eight bracket (PDF)
Round-by-round schedule
| Date | Round | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Nov 17 | First round (all 8 teams) | ESPN networks |
| Wed, Nov 18 | Semifinals and placement games | ESPN networks |
| Thu, Nov 19 | Championship and placement games | ESPN networks |
For the full national picture of what is on each night this season, bookmark our 2026-27 college basketball TV schedule, which tracks the channels and streaming homes for every window.
Every team’s 2026-27 schedule
Following a specific program through Las Vegas and beyond? Each card below links to that team’s full 2026-27 schedule, dates, TV and a printable of its own. UNLV points to our men’s college basketball hub while its standalone page is built.
You can also browse all of these from the 2026-27 men’s college basketball schedule hub, and see how the week feeds into our printable 2027 March Madness bracket and the conference tournaments that follow: ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Big East.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 Players Era Eight?
The tournament runs Tuesday, November 17 through Thursday, November 19, 2026 at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, with the championship on Thursday, November 19.
Which teams are in the 2026 Players Era Eight?
The eight-team field is Auburn, Florida, Houston, Kansas, Notre Dame, Rutgers, UNLV and West Virginia.
What are the first-round matchups?
Houston vs Rutgers, Florida vs Notre Dame, Kansas vs UNLV, and West Virginia vs Auburn, all on Tuesday, November 17.
What channel is the Players Era Eight on?
All games are carried across the ESPN family of networks. Tip times are approximate until confirmed; our college basketball TV schedule will have the final windows as they post.
Is there a printable Players Era Eight bracket?
Yes. Use the gold button above to open a clean, printable bracket PDF with every first-round matchup and blank lines to fill in winners.
How does this affect March Madness?
These are marquee non-conference games that heavily influence NET rankings and Quadrant 1 records. Track how it all points toward March with our printable 2027 March Madness bracket.
