UCF Knights to Face UCLA Bruins in 2026 March Madness Opener

The two teams will meet in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Philadelphia.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 10:06pm

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The University of Central Florida (UCF) men's basketball team has earned a No. 10 seed in the East Region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. They will face off against the UCLA Bruins in the first round on Friday, March 20 in Philadelphia.

Why it matters

This will mark UCF's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in seven years, providing a major opportunity for the program to showcase its talent on a national stage against a perennial March Madness contender like UCLA.

The details

The Knights secured their spot in the tournament by earning an at-large bid after a strong regular season performance. They will now have the chance to pull off an upset against the Bruins, who are seeded higher in the bracket.

  • The first-round game between UCF and UCLA will take place on Friday, March 20, 2026.
  • UCF last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2019.

The players

UCF Knights

The men's basketball team from the University of Central Florida, making their first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years.

UCLA Bruins

The men's basketball team from the University of California, Los Angeles, a perennial March Madness contender.

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What’s next

The winner of the UCF-UCLA matchup will advance to face the winner of the No. 2 seed vs. No. 15 seed game in the second round of the East Region.

The takeaway

UCF's return to the NCAA Tournament after a seven-year drought provides an exciting opportunity for the program to make a deep run and potentially pull off a major upset against a basketball powerhouse like UCLA.