March Madness 2026: Your Guide to the NCAA Tournament

The 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, popularly known as March Madness, is set to unfold over the next three weeks, captivating basketball fans across the nation. From the First Four games to the championship showdown, here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 tournament.

Key Dates and Schedule

• Selection Sunday: March 15, 2026
• First Four: March 17 & 18, 2026 (Dayton, OH)
• First & Second Rounds: March 19-22, 2026 (Various Locations)
• Sweet 16: March 26 & 27, 2026
• Elite Eight: March 28 & 29, 2026
• Final Four: April 4, 2026 (Indianapolis, IN – Lucas Oil Stadium)
• NCAA Championship Game: April 6, 2026 (Indianapolis, IN – Lucas Oil Stadium)

First Four Matchups

The tournament kicks off with the First Four games, taking place on March 17th and 18th in Dayton, Ohio:

• March 17: (16) UMBC vs. (16) Howard (truTV, 6:40 p.m. ET)
• March 17: (11) Texas vs. (11) NC State (truTV, 9:15 p.m. ET)
• March 18: (16) Prairie View A&M vs. (16) Lehigh (truTV, 6:40 p.m. ET)
• March 18: (11) Miami (Ohio) vs. (11) SMU (truTV, 9:15 p.m. ET)

Round of 64 Highlights

The Round of 64 begins on March 19th, with games broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. Some notable matchups include:

• March 19: (8) Ohio State vs. (9) TCU (CBS, 12:15 p.m. ET)
• March 19: (4) Nebraska vs. (13) Troy (truTV, 12:40 p.m. ET)
• March 20: (7) Kentucky vs. (10) Santa Clara (CBS, 12:15 p.m. ET)

Broadcast Channels

The 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will be available across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, ensuring fans can follow all the action.

Tournament Locations

First and Second Round games will be hosted in the following cities:

• Buffalo, NY (KeyBank Center)
• Greenville, SC (Bon Secours Wellness Arena)
• Oklahoma City, OK (Paycom Center)
• Portland, OR (Moda Center)
• Tampa, FL (Benchmark International Arena)
• Philadelphia, PA (Xfinity Mobile Arena)
• San Diego, CA (Viejas Arena)

Bracket Challenges and Predictions

While predicting a perfect bracket remains an elusive goal – no one has ever achieved it since the tradition began in 1977 – participating in bracket challenges adds to the excitement of March Madness. Embrace the challenge and test your basketball knowledge!

Sources: NCAA.com, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, Sporting News