March Madness has officially arrived for the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.
A total of 67 games will be played across the women’s Division 1 tournament as teams compete for the national championship. The event begins with the First Four games before expanding into the traditional 64-team bracket.
The First Four matchups will take place on March 18 and March 19 on the home courts of the top seeds hosting the opening round. The tournament will conclude with the Final Four and national championship at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix.
Defending national champion Connecticut enters the tournament undefeated and as a favorite to capture its 13th national championship. Other top contenders include UCLA, Texas and South Carolina, all of whom are expected to make deep runs in the bracket.
Here is how fans can watch and stream the 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament. (This article will be updated as the tournament proceeds.)
How to Watch the NCAA Women’s March Madness Tournament
All games in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament will air on ESPN’s family of networks.
That includes ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews. Select games will also be broadcast on ABC as the tournament progresses.
Fans can stream the games through ESPN’s digital platforms as well as several streaming services that carry ESPN channels.
Streaming options include Hulu + Live TV, Sling and Fubo, each of which offers free trial options for new users.
Another option for viewers is the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN bundle, which provides access to ESPN’s streaming content along with the two additional platforms.
Many of the tournament’s marquee matchups will also stream on Fubo, which includes a free trial for new subscribers.
NCAA Women’s Tournament Key Dates and Schedule
The tournament schedule begins with the First Four games before transitioning into the full 64-team bracket.
The First Four will take place March 18 and March 19 on ESPN2.
First-round games will follow on March 20 and March 21, with second-round matchups scheduled for March 22 and March 23.
The Sweet 16 games will be held March 27 and March 28, followed by the Elite Eight on March 29 and March 30.
The Final Four will take place April 3 at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. Both semifinal games will air on ESPN.
The national championship game will be played April 5 at the same venue and will air on ABC at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Women’s March Madness First Four Schedule
The First Four games begin Tuesday, March 18.
7 p.m. | (11) Nebraska vs. (11) Richmond | ESPN2
9 p.m. | (16) Missouri State vs. (16) Stephen F. Austin | ESPN2
The second night of the First Four will take place Wednesday, March 19.
7 p.m. | (16) Southern vs. (16) Samford | ESPN2
9 p.m. | (10) Virginia vs. (10) Arizona State | ESPN2
Women’s March Madness First Round Schedule Highlights
The first round begins Friday, March 20, with several matchups scheduled throughout the day.
11:30 a.m. | (3) Duke vs. (14) College of Charleston | ESPN2
12 p.m. | (3) TCU vs. (14) UC San Diego | ESPN
1:30 p.m. | (8) Oregon vs. (9) Virginia Tech | ESPN2
2 p.m. | (6) Baylor vs. TBD | ESPN
2:30 p.m. | (6) Washington vs. (11) South Dakota State | ESPNews
3 p.m. | (5) Maryland vs. (12) Murray State | ESPNU
3:30 p.m. | (5) Ole Miss vs. (12) Gonzaga | ESPN2
4 p.m. | (1) Texas vs. TBD | ESPN
5:30 p.m. | (2) Michigan vs. (15) Holy Cross | ESPN2
5:30 p.m. | (4) North Carolina vs. (13) Western Illinois | ESPNews
6 p.m. | (2) LSU vs. (15) Jacksonville | ESPN
6 p.m. | (4) Minnesota vs. (13) Green Bay | ESPNU
7:30 p.m. | (5) Michigan State vs. (12) Colorado State | ESPNews
8 p.m. | (7) NC State vs. (10) Tennessee | ESPN
8:30 p.m. | (7) Texas Tech vs. (10) Villanova | ESPNU
10 p.m. | (4) Oklahoma vs. (13) Idaho | ESPN
The first round continues Saturday, March 21, with another full slate of games.
11:30 a.m. | (3) Ohio State vs. (14) Howard | ESPN2
12 p.m. | (3) Louisville vs. (14) Vermont | ESPN
1 p.m. | (1) South Carolina vs. TBD | ABC
1:30 p.m. | (7) Georgia vs. TBD | ESPN2
2 p.m. | (6) Notre Dame vs. (11) Fairfield | ESPN
2:30 p.m. | (6) Alabama vs. (11) Rhode Island | ESPNews
2:30 p.m. | (5) Kentucky vs. (12) James Madison | ESPNU
3 p.m. | (1) Connecticut vs. (16) UTSA | ABC
3:30 p.m. | (8) Clemson vs. (9) Southern California | ESPN2
4 p.m. | (2) Iowa vs. (15) Fairleigh Dickinson | ESPN
5 p.m. | (4) West Virginia vs. (13) Miami (Ohio) | ESPNU
5:30 p.m. | (8) Iowa State vs. (9) Syracuse | ESPN2
7 p.m. | (2) Vanderbilt vs. (15) High Point | ESPNews
7:30 p.m. | (8) Oklahoma State vs. (9) Princeton | ESPN2
9:30 p.m. | (7) Illinois vs. (10) Colorado | ESPN2
10 p.m. | (1) UCLA vs. (16) California Baptist | ESPN
The 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament will conclude with the national championship game on Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post March Madness 2026: Full NCAA Women’s Tournament Schedule, How to Watch & Stream appeared first on Heavy Sports.