March Madness 2026: First-round women's schedule, game times, TV networks

NCAA tournament printable bracket released as UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas earn No. 1 seeds

Mar. 16, 2026 at 3:49am

The schedules, game times, and TV networks for the First Four and first round of the 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament have been announced. UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas earned the No. 1 seeds, with UConn the overall top seed after an undefeated regular season and Big East tournament title. All games will be broadcast on the ABC and ESPN family of networks.

Why it matters

The NCAA women's basketball tournament is one of the most anticipated events in college sports, with millions of fans filling out brackets and tuning in to watch the action unfold. The release of the full schedule and game times allows fans to plan their viewing and make their predictions for the tournament.

The details

The First Four games will be played on Wednesday and Thursday, March 18-19, with two games each night. The first round will then take place on Friday and Saturday, March 20-21, with 16 games per day. All games will be broadcast on the ABC and ESPN family of networks.

  • The First Four games will be played on Wednesday, March 18 and Thursday, March 19.
  • The first round of the NCAA tournament will be played on Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21.

The players

UConn

The No. 1 overall seed after an undefeated regular season and win in the Big East tournament championship.

UCLA

Earned the second No. 1 seed with a 31-1 record against a tougher schedule than UConn's.

South Carolina

Earned a No. 1 seed out of the SEC.

Texas

Earned a No. 1 seed out of the SEC.

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What’s next

The First Four games will be played on Wednesday and Thursday, with the first round following on Friday and Saturday. Fans can fill out their brackets and tune in to watch the action unfold on the ABC and ESPN family of networks.

The takeaway

The release of the full schedule and game times for the 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament is an exciting moment for fans, as they can now plan their viewing and make their predictions for who will advance through the tournament.