On Selection Sunday, the official 2026 NCAA March Madness bracket was announced for the tournament which serves as the premiere test for collegiate Division 1 men’s basketball teams to prove themselves as the nation’s best amongst the rest.
Find the full 2026 March Madness Tournament schedule below, along with the official bracket for this year’s competition.
Full Schedule of March Madness Rounds – Key Dates
- Selection Sunday –Â Sunday, March 15, 2026
- First Four – Tuesday, March 17, 2026 & Wednesday, March 18, 2026
- First Round – Thursday, March 19, 2026 & Friday, March 20, 2026
- Second Round –Â Saturday, March 21, 2026 & Sunday, March 22, 2026
- Sweet 16 –Â Thursday, March 26, 2026 & Friday, March 27, 2026
- Elite Eight –Â Saturday, March 28, 2026 & Sunday, March 29, 2026
- Final Four –Â Saturday, April 4, 2026
- NCAA Championship Game –Â Monday, April 6, 2026
Official Bracket & Full Schedule of 2026 March Madness Tournament
For the locations and full details of each individual round of competition, you can find expanded information here.
First Four –Â Tuesday, March 17, 2026
- Game 1 –Â No. 16 UMBC vs No. 16 Howard, 6:40 PM ET / 5:40 PM CT
- Winner: TBD
- Game 2 –Â No. 11 Texas vs No. 11 NC State, 9:15 PM ET / 8:15 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
First Four –Â Wednesday, March 18, 2026
- Game 3 –Â No. 16 Prairie View vs No. 16 Lehigh, 6:40 PM ET / 5:40 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 4 –Â No. 11 Miami OH vs No. 11 SMU, 9:15 PM ET / 8:15 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
First Round –Â Thursday, March 19, 2026
- Game 1 –Â No. 9 TCU vs No. 8 Ohio State, 12:15 PM ET / 11:15 AM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 2 – No. 13 Troy vs No. 4 Nebraska, 12:40 PM ET / 11:40 AM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 3 –Â No. 11 South Florida vs No. 6 Louisville, 1:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 4 –Â No. 12 High Point vs No. 5 Wisconsin, 1:50 PM ET / 12:50 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 5 – No. 16 Siena vs No. 1 Duke, 2:50 PM ET / 1:50 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 6 – No. 12 McNeese State vs No. 5 Vanderbilt, 3:15 PM ET / 2:15 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 7 – No. 14 ND State vs No. 3 Michigan State, 4:05 PM ET / 3:05 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 8 – No. 13 Hawaii vs No. 4 Arkansas, 4:25 PM ET / 3:25 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 9 – No. 11 VCU vs No. 6 UNC, 6:50 PM ET / 5:50 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 10 – Winner of First Four Game 1 vs No. 1 Michigan, 7:10 PM ET / 6:10 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 11 – Winner of First Four Game 2 vs No. 6 BYU, 7:25 PM ET / 6:25 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 12 – No. 10 Texas A&M vs No. 7 St. Mary’s CA, 7:35 PM ET / 6:35 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 13 – No. 14 Penn vs No. 3 Illinois, 9:25 PM ET / 8:25 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 14 – No. 9 Saint Louis vs No. 8 Georgia, 9:45 PM ET / 8:45 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 15 – No. 14 Kennesaw St vs No. 3 Gonzaga, 10:00 PM ET / 9:00 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 16 – No. 15 Idaho vs No. 2 Houston, 10:10 PM ET / 9:10 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
First Round –Â Friday, March 20, 2026
- Game 17 –Â No. 10 Santa Clara vs No. 7 Kentucky, 12:15 PM ET / 11:15 AM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 18 –Â No. 12 Akron vs No. 5 Texas Tech, 12:40 PM ET / 11:40 AM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 19 –Â No. 16 LIU vs No. 1 Arizona, 1:35 PM ET / 12:35 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 20 –Â No. 14 Wright State vs No. 3 Virginia, 1:50 PM ET / 12:50 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 21 –Â No. 15 Tennessee State vs No. 2 Iowa State, 2:50 PM ET / 1:50 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 22 –Â No. 13 Hofstra vs No. 4 Alabama, 3:15 PM ET / 2:15 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 23 –Â No. 9 Utah State vs No. 8 Villanova, 4:10 PM ET / 3:10 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 24 – Winner of First Four Game 2Â vs No. 6 Tennessee, 4:25 PM ET / 3:25 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 25 –Â No. 9 Iowa vs No. 8 Clemson, 6:50 PM ET / 5:50 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 26 –Â No. 12 UNI vs No. 5 St. John’s, 7:10 PM ET / 6:10 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 27 –Â No. 10 UNC vs No. 7 UCLA, 7:25 PM ET / 6:25 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 28 –Â No. 15 Queens NC vs No. 2 Purdue, 7:35 PM ET /6:35 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 29 –Â Winner of First Four Game 3 vs No. 1 Florida, 9:25 PM ET / 8:25 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 30 –Â No. 13 CA Baptist vs No. 4 Kansas, 9:45 PM ET / 8:45 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 31 –Â No. 15 Furman vs No. 2 UConn, 10:00 PM ET / 9:00 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
- Game 32 –Â No. 10 Missouri vs No. 7 Miami FL, 10:10 PM ET / 9:10 PM CT
- Winner:Â TBD
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