Everything fans need to know about the 2026 March Madness tournaments

• The 2026 March Madness tournament began after Selection Sunday on March 15.
• Men's games will be broadcast across CBS, TNT, TBS, and TruTV, while women's games will be broadcast across the ESPN family of networks.
• This article details the schedule, TV, tickets, gear and more about the upcoming men's and women's March Madness tournaments.

The madness is here! It took getting to day four of the NCAA Tournament for the last perfect bracket to say goodbye, thanks to Tennessee upsetting Virginia, according to the NCAA.

Whether you filled out a bracket for fun, watch every game religiously, or are even attending a game in person, here is everything you need to know about the March Madness tournament:

When is March Madness 2026?

The 2026 March Madness tournament kicked off after the 68-team bracket was revealed on Selection Sunday. The tournament will continue through March, ending with the Final Four on Saturday, April 4 and the National Championship game on Monday, April 6.

Where is the March Madness tournament being held this year?

Depending on the round, the 2026 March Madness has different host sites. However, Indianapolis is the main host for the men's tournament, hosting the Final Four and the National Championship. Here's a look at the men's tournament locations:

• First Four: UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio
• First & Second Rounds: Buffalo, N.Y., Greenville, S.C., Oklahoma City, Portland, Ore., Tampa, Fla., Philadelphia, San Diego and St. Louis.
• Sweet 16 & Elite 8: Houston, San Jose, Calif., Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
• Final Four & National Championship: Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis - Shop tickets now

The women's tournament is organized slightly differently, where teams act as host sites until the Sweet 16. The Footprint Center in Phoenix, Ariz. will host the Final Four and National Championship game.

March Madness 2026 key dates for the men's tournament

• March 17-18: First Four
• March 19-20: First round
• March 21-22: Second round
• March 26-27: Sweet 16
• March 28-29: Elite 8
• April 4-5: Final Four
• April 6: National Championship

March Madness 2026 full schedule, results for the men's tournament

March Madness Sweet 16 schedule, TV channel

• Thursday, March 26 - No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas at 7:10 p.m. ET - Watch on Fubo
• Thursday, March 26 - No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa at 7:30 p.m. ET - Watch on Sling
• Thursday, March 26 - No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas at 9:45 p.m. ET - Watch on Fubo
• Thursday, March 26 - No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois at 10:15 p.m. ET - Watch on Sling
• Friday, March 27 - No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John's at 7:10 p.m. ET - Watch on Fubo
• Friday, March 27 - No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama at 7:35 p.m. ET - Watch on Sling
• Friday, March 27 - No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Michigan State at 9:45 p.m. ET - Watch on Fubo
• Friday, March 27 - No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee at 10:10 p.m. ET - Watch on Sling

March Madness First Four results

• Tuesday, March 17 - No. 16 Howard def. No. 16 UMBC
• Tuesday, March 17 - No. 11 Texas def. No. 11 NC State
• Wednesday, March 18 - No. 16 Prairie View A&M def. Lehigh
• Wednesday, March 18 - No. 11 Miami (OH) def. No. 11 SMU

March Madness Thursday results

• Thursday, March 19 - No. 9 TCU def. No. 8 Ohio State
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 4 Nebraska def. No. 13 Troy vs.
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 6 Louisville def. No. 11 USF
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 12 High Point def. No. 5 Wisconsin
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 1 Duke def. No. 16 Siena
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 5 Vanderbilt def. No. 12 McNeese
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 3 Michigan State def. No. 14 North Dakota State
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 4 Arkansas def. No. 13 Hawaii
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 11 VCU def. No. 6 North Carolina
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 1 Michigan def. No. 16 Howard
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 11 Texas def. No. 6 BYU
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 10 Texas A&M def. No. 7 St. Mary's
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 3 Illinois def. No. 14 Pennsylvania
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 9 St. Louis def. No. 8 Georgia
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 3 Gonzaga def. No. 14 Kennesaw State
• Thursday, March 19 - No. 2 Houston def. No. 15 Idaho

March Madness Friday results

• Friday, March 20 - No. 7 Kentucky def. No. 10 Santa Clara
• Friday, March 20 - No. 5 Texas Tech def. No. 12 Akron
• Friday, March 20 - No. 1 Arizona def. No. 16 Long Island University
• Friday, March 20 - No. 3 Virginia def. No. 14 Wright State
• Friday, March 20 - No. 2 Iowa State def. No. 15 Tennessee State
• Friday, March 20 - No. 4 Alabama def. No. 13 Hofstra
• Friday, March 20 - No. 9 Utah State def. No. 8 Villanova
• Friday, March 20 - No. 6 Tennessee def. No. 11 Miami (OH)
• Friday, March 20 - No. 9 Iowa def. No. 8 Clemson
• Friday, March 20 - No. 5 St. John's def. No. 12 Northern Iowa
• Friday, March 20 - No. 7 UCLA def. No. 10 UCF
• Friday, March 20 - No. 2 Purdue def. No. 15 Queens University
• Friday, March 20 - No. 1 Florida def. No. 16 Prairie View
• Friday, March 20 - No. 4 Kansas def. No. 13 Cal Baptist
• Friday, March 20 - No. 2 UConn def. No. 15 Furman
• Friday, March 20 - No. 7 Miami def. No. 10 Missouri

March Madness Round of 32 Saturday results

• Saturday, March 21 - No. 1 Michigan def. No. 9 St. Louis
• Saturday, March 21 - No. 3 Michigan State def. No. 6 Louisville
• Saturday, March 21 - No. 1 Duke vs. No. 9 TCU
• Saturday, March 21 - No. 2 Houston def. No. 10 Texas A&M
• Saturday, March 21 - No. 11 Texas def. No. 3 Gonzaga
• Saturday, March 21- No. 3 Illinois def. No. 11 VCU
• Saturday, March 21 - No. 4 Nebraska def. No. 5 Vanderbilt
• Saturday, March 21 - No. 4 Arkansas def. No. 12 High Point

March Madness Round of 32 Sunday results

• Sunday, March 22 - No. 2 Purdue def. No. 7 Miami
• Sunday, March 22 - No. 2 Iowa State def. No. 7 Kentucky
• Sunday, March 22 - No. 5 St. John's def. No. 4 Kansas
• Sunday, March 22 - No. 6 Tennessee def. No. 3 Virginia
• Sunday, March 22 - No. 9 Iowa def. No. 1 Florida
• Sunday, March 22 - No. 1 Arizona def. No. 9 Utah State
• Sunday, March 22 - No. 2 UConn def. No. 7 UCLA
• Sunday, March 22 - No. 4 Alabama def. No. 5 Texas Tech

How to watch the most March Madness games

March Madness games tend to air across TNT, TruTV, TBS, and CBS. Without cable, you will need a subscription to watch March Madness games. Sling carries TNT, TBS and TruTV in the Sling Blue package, which is the USA TODAY Shopping recommendation to watch the most games throughout the tournament. If you're also interested in the women's tournament, that usually airs entirely on the ESPN suite, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews. You can get all of those channels with the Sling Sports Extra add-on to your Sling Blue package.

Watch March Madness games live with Sling Blue

Watch March Madness games on TBS, TNT and TruTV with Sling

Watch more live sports like a large majority of the men's March Madness tournament on Sling Blue. Live stream March Madness games with Sling

Live stream CBS March Madness games on Paramount+ or Fubo

Watch March Madness games on CBS

Select games will air on CBS, you can stream those on Paramount+ or with Fubo. Join Paramount+ today! Watch March Madness CBS games with Fubo

Can you buy March Madness tickets already?

Yes. Tickets are available now on StubHub. But, all we know right now is when games are taking place, and where. It will be a mad dash for tickets from the bracket reveal to post-game when the next round and opponent are confirmed.

March Madness 2026 key dates for the women's tournament

• Sunday, March 15: Selection Sunday
• March 18-19: First Four
• March 20-21: First round
• March 22-23: Second round
• March 27-30: Fort Worth regional
• March 27-30: Sacramento regional
• April 3: Final Four
• April 5: National Championship

Where to stay for March Madness

You always have options when you travel, one of them being where you stay. This will depend on which city you're heading to, maybe you'll want to be in the mix of things in downtown near the arena, or maybe in a less urban space in one of those smaller college towns (looking at you, Greenville). The USA TODAY Shopping team has curated some hotel options for you, depending on where you're headed.

Where to stay in Dayton, Ohio for March Madness

Dayton, Ohio is going to host the first two games of the March Madness tournament, on March 17 and March 18. These two games are known as the 'first four'—the first four games in the March Madness bracket, which are play-in games for the at-large bid teams and the No. 16-seeded teams.

Where to stay in Buffalo, N.Y. for March Madness

Buffalo is one of the host sites for the first and second round. Games will be played at KeyBank Center.

Where to stay in Greenville, S.C. for March Madness

Greenville, S.C. is one of the host sites for the first and second round. Games will be played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

Where to stay in Oklahoma City for March Madness

Oklahoma City is one of the host sites for the first and second round. Games will be played at Paycom Center.

Where to stay in Portland, Ore. for March Madness

Portland, Ore. is one of the host sites for the first and second round. Games will be played at Moda Center.

Where to stay in Tampa, Fla. for March Madness

Tampa, Fla. is one of the host sites for the first and second round. Games will be played at Benchmark International Arena.

Where to stay in Philadelphia for March Madness

Philadelphia is one of the host sites for the first and second round. Games will be played at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Where to stay in San Diego for March Madness?

San Diego is one of the host sites for the first and second round. Games will be played at Viejas Arena.

Where to stay in St. Louis for March Madness?

St. Louis is one of the host sites for the first and second round. Games will be played at Enterprise, Arena.

Shop March Madness gear at Fanatics

The official gear that players will wear on the court and off the bench is already available at Fanatics, including the Nike Lock It In shirts and the Adidas Legacy on Lock shirts. Here's a look at those collections:

Nike 'Lock It In' 2026 March Madness bench gear

Duke Blue Devils Nike 2026 On-Court Bench T-Shirt

Match what the players on the bench will wear during the 2026 NCAA Basketball season with this Duke Blue Devils On-Court Bench T-Shirt from Nike. Shop now at Fanatics

Adidas 'Legacy on Lock' 2026 March Madness gear

Texas Tech Red Raiders adidas Legacy On Lock Pregame Long Sleeve T-Shirt

This Legacy On Lock Pregame t-shirt is the same on-court style worn by Texas Tech Red Raiders players, coaches and team staff. Shop now at Fanatics