March Madness 2026: How to Watch Every Game of the Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament

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The 2026 men's NCAA basketball tournament, known as March Madness, is set to tip off on March 17 with the First Four games. The tournament will air across CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and fans can stream the games on Paramount+ Premium, HBO Max Standard, or various live-TV streaming services. The women's tournament will air on the ESPN suite of channels and can be streamed with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.

Why it matters

March Madness is one of the most exciting and widely watched sporting events of the year, drawing millions of viewers and fans. Providing comprehensive information on how to watch all the games is crucial for basketball enthusiasts who want to follow the action and fill out their tournament brackets.

The details

The men's NCAA tournament will begin with the First Four games on Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18. The tournament will then continue with the first round, second round, Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Final Four, and championship game, concluding on Monday, April 6, 2026. Games will be broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and can be streamed on Paramount+ Premium, HBO Max Standard, DirecTV, Fubo, or Sling. The women's tournament will air on the ESPN suite of channels and can be streamed with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.

• The men's NCAA tournament games tip off with the First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
• The women's NCAA tournament will tip off on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
• The men's NCAA basketball tournament concludes with the championship game on Monday, April 6, 2026.

What’s next

Fans can tune in to the First Four games on Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18 to kick off the 2026 men's NCAA basketball tournament.