Top Seeds Advance to Women's Final Four in Phoenix

UConn, South Carolina, Texas, and UCLA to compete for NCAA championship

Apr. 2, 2026 at 3:53pm

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The top four seeds in the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament have all advanced to the Final Four, which will take place this weekend in Phoenix, Arizona. UConn, South Carolina, Texas, and UCLA will compete for the national championship, marking the first time since 2018 that all four No. 1 seeds have reached this stage of the tournament.

Why it matters

The Women's Final Four features an impressive collection of top-ranked teams and programs, setting the stage for what is expected to be a highly competitive conclusion to the tournament. With an average margin of victory of 20.8 points through the first 64 games, there is hope that the final three contests will be closely contested.

The details

The matchups for the Women's Final Four are as follows: (1) South Carolina vs. (1) UConn, and (1) Texas vs. (1) UCLA. UConn has been the No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll since winning the championship last season, while South Carolina, UCLA, and Texas have held the next three spots. The winners of the two semifinal games will advance to the national championship game on Sunday.

  • The Women's Final Four games will take place on Friday, April 4, 2026.
  • The national championship game is scheduled for Sunday, April 6, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

The players

UConn

The defending national champion and No. 1 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.

South Carolina

The No. 2 team in the country and a No. 1 seed in the tournament.

Texas

The No. 3 team in the country and a No. 1 seed in the tournament.

UCLA

The No. 4 team in the country and a No. 1 seed in the tournament.

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What they’re saying

“This marks the first time since 2018 that all four No. 1 seeds have reached the Final Four. It's going to be an exciting weekend of basketball.”

— Aidan Berg

What’s next

The winners of the two semifinal games on Friday will advance to the national championship game on Sunday, April 6, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

The takeaway

The 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament has reached its climactic conclusion, with the four top-ranked teams in the country set to compete for the national championship in Phoenix. Fans can expect a highly competitive Final Four, as the tournament has produced an average margin of victory of just 20.8 points through the first 64 games.