2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament: A Comprehensive Guide

The 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, commonly known as March Madness, is set to begin with selections on Sunday, March 15, 2026. The tournament will culminate with the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 4 and 6, 2026. This year’s tournament features 68 teams competing in a single-elimination format to determine the national champion.

Key Dates and Schedule

Here’s a breakdown of the key dates for the 2026 NCAA Tournament:

• Selection Sunday: March 15, 2026
• First Four: March 17 & 18, 2026 (Dayton, Ohio)
• First Round/Round of 64: March 19 & 20, 2026
• Second Round: March 21 & 22, 2026
• Sweet 16: March 26 & 27, 2026
• Elite Eight: March 28 & 29, 2026
• Final Four: April 4, 2026 (Indianapolis, Indiana)
• NCAA Championship Game: April 6, 2026 (Indianapolis, Indiana)

First and Second Round Matchups (as of March 21, 2026)

Here are the results from the first and second rounds as of March 21, 2026:

Saturday, March 21 (Second Round)

• (1) Michigan vs. (9) Saint Louis | 12:10 p.m.
• (3) Michigan State vs. (6) Louisville | 2:45 p.m.
• (1) Duke vs. (9) TCU | 5:15 p.m.
• (2) Houston vs. (10) Texas A&M | 6:10 p.m.
• (3) Gonzaga vs. (11) Texas | 7:10 p.m.
• (3) Illinois vs. (11) VCU | 7:50 p.m.
• (4) Nebraska vs. (5) Vanderbilt | 8:45 p.m.
• (4) Arkansas vs. (12) High Point | 9:45 p.m.

Sunday, March 22 (Second Round)

• (2) Purdue vs. (7) Miami (Fla.) | 12:10 p.m.
• (2) Iowa State vs. (7) Kentucky | 2:45 p.m.
• (4) Kansas vs. (5) St. John’s | 5:15 p.m.
• (3) Virginia vs. (6) Tennessee | 6:10 p.m.
• (1) Florida vs. (9) Iowa | 7:10 p.m.
• (1) Arizona vs. (9) Utah State | 7:50 p.m.
• (2) UConn vs. (7) UCLA | 8:45 p.m.
• (4) Alabama vs. (5) Texas Tech | 9:45 p.m.

First Round Results (March 19 & 20, 2026)

Here are the results from the first round of the tournament:

• (9) TCU 66, (8) Ohio State 64
• (4) Nebraska 76, (13) Troy 47
• (6) Louisville 83, (11) South Florida 79
• (12) High Point 83, (5) Wisconsin 82
• (1) Duke 71, (16) Siena 65
• (5) Vanderbilt 78, (12) McNeese 68
• (3) Michigan State 92, (14) North Dakota State 67
• (4) Arkansas 97, (13) Hawai’i 78
• (11) VCU 82, (6) North Carolina 78
• (1) Michigan 101, (16) Howard 80
• (11) Texas 79, (6) BYU 71
• (10) Texas A&M 63, (7) Saint Mary’s 50
• (3) Illinois 105, (14) Penn 70
• (9) Saint Louis 102, (8) Georgia 77
• (3) Gonzaga 73, (14) Kennesaw State 64
• (2) Houston 78, (15) Idaho 47

First Four Results (March 17 & 18, 2026)

• (16) Howard 86, (16) UMBC 83
• (11) Texas 68, (11) NC State 66
• (16) Prairie View A&M 67, (16) Lehigh 55
• (11) Miami (Ohio) 89, (11) SMU 79

Tournament Locations

The 2026 NCAA Tournament games will be held at the following locations:

• First Four: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
• First/Second Rounds:
  • KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
  • Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC
  • Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Moda Center, Portland, OR
  • Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
  • Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
  • Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA
  • Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO
• South Regional: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
• West Regional: SAP Center, San Jose, CA
• Midwest Regional: United Center, Chicago, IL
• East Regional: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
• Final Four: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Looking Ahead

As the tournament progresses, fans can expect thrilling matchups and unpredictable outcomes. The road to the championship in Indianapolis promises to be filled with excitement and memorable moments. For more information and updates, visit ncaa.com.