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March 18 – April 6, 2026
CBS · TBS · TNT · truTV

March Madness Schedule 2026

Complete 2026 NCAA Tournament schedule with dates, tip-off times, and TV channels for every round. From the First Four in Dayton through the National Championship at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

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Full Tournament Schedule

Selection Sunday

Bracket Reveal
CBS
March 156:00 PM ET

The NCAA Selection Committee reveals the 68-team bracket live on CBS. Sportsbooks open first-round lines within minutes.

Selection Sunday Picks

First Four

4 games
truTV
March 18–196:30 PM & 9:00 PM ET

Play-in games in Dayton, OH. Eight teams compete for the final four spots in the 64-team bracket.

First Round Picks

Round of 64

32 games
CBSTBSTNTtruTV
March 20–2112:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

The main bracket begins. 32 games across 2 days. This is where the most upsets happen — 12-vs-5 upsets occur 35% of the time historically.

First Round Picks

Round of 32

16 games
CBSTBSTNTtruTV
March 22–2312:00 PM – 9:30 PM ET

Cinderella runs either continue or end. Chalk starts to crack as mid-majors face tougher matchups.

Second Round Picks

Sweet 16

8 games
CBSTBS
March 27–287:00 PM & 9:30 PM ET

Regional semifinals. A week of rest between rounds changes the dynamic — coaching adjustments matter more here.

Sweet 16 Picks

Elite 8

4 games
CBSTBS
March 29–302:00 PM & 5:00 PM ET

Regional finals. Four games decide the Final Four. 40%+ decided by 5 points or fewer.

Elite 8 Picks

Final Four

2 games
TBS
April 46:00 PM & 8:30 PM ET

National semifinals at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. Football stadium dimensions can affect shooting percentages.

Final Four Picks

National Championship

1 game
CBS
April 69:00 PM ET

The title game at the Alamodome. One game for the 2026 NCAA National Championship.

Championship Pick

Where to Watch March Madness 2026

The NCAA Tournament is broadcast across four networks. All games are also available for streaming on the March Madness Live app and NCAA.com.

CBS

Primary network. Selection Sunday bracket reveal, select early-round games, Elite 8 games, and the National Championship on April 6.

TBS

Early-round games, Sweet 16, Elite 8, and the Final Four national semifinal games on April 4.

TNT

Round of 64 and Round of 32 games. Shares early-round coverage with CBS, TBS, and truTV.

truTV

First Four play-in games and select Round of 64 and Round of 32 games.

Key Dates at a Glance

RoundDatesGamesNetwork(s)
Selection SundayMarch 15Bracket Reveal
CBS
First FourMarch 18–194 games
truTV
Round of 64March 20–2132 games
CBSTBSTNTtruTV
Round of 32March 22–2316 games
CBSTBSTNTtruTV
Sweet 16March 27–288 games
CBSTBS
Elite 8March 29–304 games
CBSTBS
Final FourApril 42 games
TBS
National ChampionshipApril 61 game
CBS

AI Picks for Every Game. 99¢.

Win probabilities, upset alerts, and confidence tiers for all 67 tournament games. First Four through the Championship.

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March Madness Schedule 2026 FAQ

The First Four play-in games begin Tuesday, March 18 in Dayton, Ohio. The full Round of 64 starts Thursday, March 20 with 16 games, followed by 16 more on Friday, March 21. The Selection Sunday bracket reveal is March 15 at 6 PM ET on CBS.
March Madness 2026 is broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. The First Four airs on truTV. The Round of 64 and Round of 32 are split across all four networks. The Sweet 16 and Elite 8 air on CBS and TBS. The Final Four is on TBS and the Championship game is on CBS.
The 2026 Final Four is Saturday, April 4 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The two national semifinal games tip off at 6:00 PM ET and approximately 8:30 PM ET on TBS. The National Championship game is Monday, April 6 at 9:00 PM ET on CBS.
The 2026 NCAA Tournament has 67 total games: 4 First Four games, 32 Round of 64 games, 16 Round of 32 games, 8 Sweet 16 games, 4 Elite 8 games, 2 Final Four semifinal games, and 1 Championship game. Our AI provides win probabilities for every single game.

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