March Madness bracket: Complete 2026 NCAA Tournament schedule, TV channels, scores originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
College basketball fans, get ready. March Madness is finally here.
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The 2026 NCAA Tournament will begin with the first four games on March 17-18, culminating with the national championship game on April 6.
Arizona State, Duke, Florida State and Michigan State are just a few contenders looking to end the 2025-26 season with a celebration. Which team will score in Indianapolis?
Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s NCAA Tournament, including key dates and TV and streaming options for each round.
2026 March Madness Groups
You can download The Sporting News’ printable NCAA Tournament bracket (PDF) by clicking here.
Printable March Madness Brackets 2026 (Top Four)
SN Expert Stand:DeCourcy (Arizona) | Bender (Michigan) | Iyer (Arizona) | Gay (UCLA Women)
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2026 NCAA Tournament Schedule, Results
top four
Tuesday, March 17
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
No. 16 Howard 86No. 16 UMBC 83 |
— |
— |
|
No. 11 Texas vs. No. 11 North Carolina |
9:30 pm |
reality tv, live tv |
Wednesday, March 18
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs. No. 16 Lehigh |
6:40 pm |
reality tv, live tv |
|
No. 11 Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 11 SMU |
9:15pm |
reality tv, live tv |
first round
Thursday, March 19
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU |
12:15 noon |
CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy |
12:40 noon |
reality tv, live tv |
|
No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida |
1:30 pm |
TNT, live TV |
|
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point |
1:50 pm |
TBS, live TV |
|
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena |
2:50 pm |
CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese |
3:15pm |
reality tv, live tv |
|
No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State |
4:05 pm |
TNT, live TV |
|
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii |
4:25pm |
TBS, live TV |
|
No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth University |
6:50 pm |
TNT, live TV |
|
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 Howard |
7:10pm |
CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas/NC State |
7:25pm |
TBS, live TV |
|
No. 7 Saint Mary’s University vs. No. 10 Texas A&M |
7:35pm |
reality tv, live tv |
|
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn State |
9:25pm |
TNT, live TV |
|
No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 St. Louis |
9:45pm |
CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State |
10pm |
TBS, live TV |
|
No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho |
10:10pm |
reality tv, live tv |
Friday, March 20
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara |
12:15 noon |
CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 12 Akron |
12:40 noon |
reality tv, live tv |
|
No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 Liu Liu |
1:35pm |
TNT, live TV |
|
No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State |
1:50 pm |
TBS, live TV |
|
No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State |
2:50 pm |
CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra |
3:15pm |
reality tv, live tv |
|
No. 8 Villanova University vs. No. 9 Utah State University |
4:10 pm |
TNT, live TV |
|
No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio)/SMU |
4:25pm |
TBS, live TV |
|
No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa |
6:50 pm |
TNT, live TV |
|
No. 5 St. John’s University vs. No. 12 University of Northern Iowa |
7:10pm |
CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) No. 7 vs. University of California, Los Angeles (UCF) No. 10 |
7:25pm |
TBS, live TV |
|
No. 2 Purdue University vs. No. 15 Queen’s University |
7:35pm |
reality tv, live tv |
|
No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 16 Prairie View A&M/Lehigh |
9:25pm |
TNT, live TV |
|
No. 4 Kansas University vs. No. 13 California Baptist University |
9:45pm |
CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman |
10pm |
TBS, live TV |
|
No. 7 Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 10 Missouri |
10:10pm |
reality tv, live tv |
second round
Saturday, March 21
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
Sunday, March 22
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
Sweet 16
Thursday, March 26
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
Friday, March 27
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
To be determined |
Elite Eight
Saturday, March 28
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
TBS, truTV, DIRECTV |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
TBS, truTV, DIRECTV |
Sunday, March 29
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
semifinals
Saturday, April 4
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
TBS, truTV, DIRECTV |
|
To be determined and to be determined |
To be determined |
TBS, truTV, DIRECTV |
national championship
Monday, April 6
|
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|
|
To be determined and to be determined |
8:50 pm |
TBS, truTV, DIRECTV |
How to watch March Madness 2026 games: TV channels, live streams
-
TV channel: CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV
NCAA Tournament games will air on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. Viewers can also watch March Madness games on DIRECTV (CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV), Fubo (CBS) and Paramount+ (CBS).
Watch every game — try free DIRECTV now! Stream college basketball, MLB, NHL and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1 and NFL Network—all included in DIRECTV.
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Start your free trial now and never miss a moment. No contracts, no hassles, just all-round sports and entertainment.
|
round |
TV channel |
live streaming |
|
top four |
reality tv |
live tv |
|
first round |
CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV |
DIRECTV, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
second round |
CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV |
DIRECTV, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
Sweet 16 |
CBS, TBS, truTV |
DIRECTV, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
Elite Eight |
CBS, TBS, truTV |
DIRECTV, Fubo, Paramount+ |
|
semifinals |
TBS, truTV |
live tv |
|
championship |
TBS, truTV |
live tv |
How to listen to NCAA tournament games on the radio
You can listen to NCAA Tournament games live on SiriusXM. Gaming channels are listed on SiriusXM’s official website.
New subscribers can listen to SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games, as well as NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay up to date with all the news and get all the analysis from multiple sports-specific channels.
2026 NCAA Tournament Venues
|
round |
City |
site |
|
top four |
Dayton, Ohio |
UD Arena |
|
first/second |
Buffalo, New York |
key bank center |
|
first/second |
Greenville, South Carolina |
Bon Secours Health Arena |
|
first/second |
Oklahoma City |
payment center |
|
first/second |
Portland, Oregon. |
fashion center |
|
first/second |
Tampa, Florida |
Benchmark international stage |
|
first/second |
Philadelphia |
Xfinity Mobile Arena |
|
first/second |
san diego |
Viejas Arena |
|
first/second |
saint louis |
Corporate Center |
|
eastern region |
washington d.c. |
capital one arena |
|
western region |
San Jose, California |
SAP Center |
|
southern region |
Houston |
Toyota Center |
|
Midwest Region |
chicago |
United Center |
|
semifinals |
Indianapolis |
lucas oil stadium |
