Where to stay in Tampa, Florida for March Madness basketball

• Six games will be held in Tampa, Fla. during the first and second rounds of March Madness.
• Teams playing in Tampa include Florida, Alabama, Texas Tech, and Clemson.
• Tickets for the games are available now, with various session options for purchase.
• Tampa offers various hotels and attractions for fans traveling to the city for the games.

March Madness is mere days away as the 2026 NCAA Tournament invades Tampa, Fla.'s Benchmark International Arena with a number of first and second round matchups. We learned the matchups for Tampa on Sunday, March 15 so it's time to confirm your travel plans and grab tickets now!

If you're planning to travel to see games in Tampa, now is the time to get that itinerary in order and see what places are best to stay, how to get there and activities to do while you're in the area. Tampa is used to hosting major sporting events from NFL games to NHL hockey as the city offers plenty of hotels, restaurants and history to help make your trip memorable.

Here's everything you need to know about traveling to Tampa, Fla. for March Madness:

Where to stay in Tampa, Florida for March Madness

Tampa, Fla. will host six games during March Madness at the Benchmark International Arena on Friday, March 20 and Sunday, March 22.

Where to stay near Benchmark International Arena

Benchmark International Arena is the host site for six NCAA tournament games, stay nearby: Find a hotel in Tampa

Which teams will play in March Madness in Tampa?

Six games in total will be played at Benchmark International Arena, with four first-round games scheduled for Friday and two Round of 32 matchups this weekend. Here's a look at the teams that will face off in Tampa:

• Texas Tech
• Akron
• Alabama
• Hofstra
• Clemson
• Iowa
• Florida
• The winner of Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh

2026 NCAA Tournament First Round schedule in Tampa

• Friday, March 20 - No. 12 Akron vs. No. 5 Texas Tech at 12:40 p.m. ET
• Friday, March 20 - No. 13 Hofstra vs. No. 4 Alabama at 3:15 p.m. ET
• Friday, March 20 - No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 8 Clemson at 6:50 p.m. ET
• Friday, March 20 - Prairie View A&M/Lehigh vs. No. 1 Florida at 9:25 p.m. ET

How to buy NCAA tournament First Round tickets in Tampa

Tickets are available now to watch the First Round live from Benchmark International Arena. There's various options to choose from, including the following:

• No. 12 Akron vs. No. 5 Texas Tech at 12:40 p.m. ET - Get tickets now
• No. 13 Hofstra vs. No. 4 Alabama at 3:15 p.m. ET - Get tickets now
• No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 8 Clemson at 6:50 p.m. ET - Get tickets now
• Prairie View A&M/Lehigh vs. No. 1 Florida at 9:25 p.m. ET - Get tickets now
• All sessions (March 20 & 22) - Tickets starting at $514
• Session 1 (Texas Tech vs. Akron, Alabama vs. Hofstra) - Tickets starting at $106
• Session 2 (Clemson vs. Iowa, Florida vs PV A&M/Lehigh) - Tickets starting at $145
• Session 3 (TBD) - Tickets starting at $250

What is the closest airport to Tampa, Fla.?

Tampa International Airport is the closest airport to Tampa, Fla. It's about a 15-minute drive from the stadium.

What is there to do in Tampa?

Aside from hosting a few March Madness games, you can add a couple key things to your Tampa trip:

• Visit the Florida Aquarium, which is a massive 250,000-square-foot space.
• Have family fun at Busch Gardens and enjoy rides, shopping, food and more.
• Take in the scenes that Tampa has to offer with the Tampa Riverwalk, which is 2.6 miles of scenic views.

When is March Madness 2026?

The 2026 March Madness tournament will kick off after the 68-team bracket is 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.

March Madness 2026 full schedule 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