March Madness 2026 Schedules Revealed

Men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments set to tip off in coming weeks

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:37pm

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The 2026 NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments are set to begin, with the men's First Four games kicking things off on March 17-18 in Dayton, Ohio. The women's First Four will take place on March 18-19 at the home arenas of the top 16 seeds. The first round for both tournaments will follow on March 19-20 (men) and March 20-21 (women), with the action culminating in the men's and women's championship games on April 6 and April 5, respectively.

Why it matters

March Madness is one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year, drawing massive viewership and fan engagement as college basketball fans fill out brackets and follow the thrilling upsets and Cinderella runs that make the tournament so captivating. The 2026 tournaments will feature defending champions Florida (men) and UConn (women) looking to repeat, adding to the drama and excitement.

The details

The men's tournament will feature 68 teams, with the First Four games on March 17-18 narrowing the field to 64 before the first round begins on March 19-20. The women's tournament will also have a First Four, with those games taking place on March 18-19 at the home arenas of the top 16 seeds. The first round for the women follows on March 20-21. Regional semifinals and finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight) will be held March 26-29 for the men and March 27-30 for the women, leading up to the men's Final Four on April 4 in Indianapolis and the women's Final Four on April 3 in Phoenix.

  • The men's First Four games will be played on March 17-18 in Dayton, Ohio.
  • The women's First Four games will be played on March 18-19 at the home arenas of the top 16 seeds.
  • The men's first round will take place on March 19-20.
  • The women's first round will take place on March 20-21.
  • The men's championship game will be played on April 6.
  • The women's championship game will be played on April 5.

The players

Florida

The defending men's national champion, looking to repeat as titleholders.

UConn

The perennial women's basketball powerhouse, seeking its 13th national championship.

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What’s next

Fans can tune in to the Selection Shows on March 15 to see the full tournament fields revealed, then start filling out their brackets in anticipation of the First Four games tipping off on March 17.

The takeaway

The 2026 NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments promise to deliver the same thrilling March Madness experience that fans have come to expect, with defending champions looking to repeat and Cinderella stories waiting to unfold over the coming weeks.