The 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament officially begins with Selection Sunday on March 15, 2026 (6:00 PM ET on CBS). On-court action tips off with the First Four on March 17-18 in Dayton, Ohio. The tournament concludes with the National Championship Game on Monday, April 6, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Download Status: Our printable 2026 March Madness bracket (blank) is available now in image and PDF formats for you; matchups will be updated live on March 15.
2026 March Madness Schedule Overview
The 2026 March Madness schedule kicks off with Selection Sunday on March 15, 2026, at 6 p.m. ET, where the field of 68 teams will be revealed. Here’s a breakdown of the key dates and rounds:
- First Four: March 17-18, 2026, in Dayton, OH at UD Arena (hosted by the University of Dayton).
- First Round: March 19-20, 2026.
- Second Round: March 21-22, 2026.
- Sweet 16: March 26-27, 2026.
- Elite Eight: March 28-29, 2026.
- Final Four: April 4, 2026.
- NCAA Championship Game: April 6, 2026.
The 2026 Road to Indianapolis: Favorites and Bubble Watch
s we head into Championship Week, the 2026 field looks top-heavy with blue bloods. Duke (#1), Arizona (#2), and Michigan (#3) have dominated the regular season, but the real story is the surge of the SEC, with both UConn and Florida currently projected as top-2 seeds.
- The Indy Advantage: With the Final Four returning to Indianapolis, teams with strong midwestern fanbases like Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue are seeing a surge in ticket interest. Lucas Oil Stadium has historically favored teams with high-volume perimeter shooting due to the unique sightlines of the dome.
- The “Mid-Major” Threat: Keep an eye on Miami (Ohio), who enters March with a stunning undefeated record (29-0). While their strength of schedule is questioned, they are the definitive “Cinderella” candidate of the 2026 cycle.
- Bubble Pressure: Traditional powers like Kansas and Kentucky are entering conference tournaments on shaky ground. Expect “bid-stealers” in the Mountain West and Atlantic 10 to make this one of the most stressful Selection Sundays in recent memory.
2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Sites and Hosts
The early rounds of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will be spread across various cities to bring the madness closer to fans nationwide:
- First and Second Rounds:
- March 19-21: Buffalo, NY (KeyBank Center, hosted by Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Canisius College, Niagara University); Greenville, SC (Bon Secours Wellness Arena, hosted by Furman and Southern Conference); Oklahoma City, OK (Paycom Center, hosted by Big 12 Conference); Portland, OR (Moda Center, hosted by Oregon State University).
- March 20-22: Tampa, FL (Amalie Arena, hosted by University of South Florida); Philadelphia, PA (Wells Fargo Center, hosted by Saint Joseph’s University); San Diego, CA (Viejas Arena, hosted by San Diego State University); St. Louis, MO (Enterprise Center, hosted by Missouri Valley Conference).
- Sweet 16 and Elite Eight:
- Midwest Regional: March 27-29 in Chicago, IL (United Center, hosted by Northwestern University).
- South Regional: March 26-28 in Houston, TX (Toyota Center, hosted by University of Houston).
- West Regional: March 26-28 in San Jose, CA (SAP Center, hosted by San Jose State University).
- East Regional: March 27-29 in Washington, D.C. (Capital One Arena, hosted by Georgetown University).
- Final Four and Championship: April 5 and 7 in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium (hosted by Horizon League and IUPUI). This marks the fourth time since 2010 that Lucas Oil Stadium has hosted the event, with another planned for 2029.
2026 NCAA Tournament Schedule (Table)
Here’s the 2026 NCAA Tournament schedule in table format for you too.
| Round | Dates | Location / Venue |
| Selection Sunday | March 15 | National Broadcast (CBS) |
| First Four | March 17–18 | UD Arena (Dayton, OH) |
| First & Second Round | March 19 & 21 | Buffalo, Greenville, OKC, Portland |
| First & Second Round | March 20 & 22 | Tampa, Philadelphia, San Diego, St. Louis |
| Sweet 16 / Elite Eight | March 26 & 28 | Houston (South) & San Jose (West) |
| Sweet 16 / Elite Eight | March 27 & 29 | Chicago (Midwest) & Washington D.C. (East) |
| Final Four | April 4 | Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN) |
| National Championship | April 6 | Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN) |
Printable 2026 March Madness Bracket
Here’s our printable 2026 March Madness bracket for you. Our template has all 68 teams that you can fill in when the time is right. Once the brackets are released, we’ll add them to the bracket. You can print or save the bracket to PDF format. We also have a direct PDF download here for you: Download Blank 2026 March Madness Bracket PDF
Tips for Filling Out Your March Madness Bracket
So, even if you are super experienced with filling out March Madness brackets, our experience shows that you can always use some tips for your entries. Here are some basic tips for you along with more that we have published here for you. You can also check out the historical record by seed in the men’s tournament.
- Research Seeds and Matchups: Higher seeds often advance early, but history shows upsets are inevitable—think No. 16 UMBC over No. 1 Virginia in 2018.
- Consider Conference Strength: Power conferences like the Big Ten and SEC usually dominate, but mid-majors can surprise.
- Watch for Hot Teams: Teams on winning streaks entering the tournament often go deep.
- Diversify Your Picks: If you’re in a pool, mix safe choices with bold predictions to stand out.
