When is March Madness 2026? Dates, TV schedule, locations, odds and more for NCAA Tournament

When is March Madness 2026? Dates, TV schedule, locations, odds and more for NCAA Tournament originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

March has arrived, meaning one sport is on nearly every sports fan’s mind: college basketball. The 2026 NCAA Tournament is on the horizon, as Selection Sunday is quickly approaching while the regular season and conference tournaments wind down.

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There will be plenty of contenders for this year’s tournament title. Michigan, Duke and Arizona all figure to challenge Florida’s defending throne, but the Gators will once again be in the mix. And of course, there remains the possibility of a Cinderella run through March Madness.

Here’s all you need to know about the 2026 NCAA Tournament, including key dates, the complete schedule and championship odds.

MORE: The Sporting News’ latest March Madness bracket predictions

March Madness bracket 2026

The March Madness bracket will be set on March 15 during the Selection Sunday show on CBS.

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Automatic bids will go to 31 conference champions. At-large bids will go to 37 other teams and fill out the remainder of the tournament field.

NCAA Tournament schedule 2026

Start date: Tuesday, March 17 (First Four)

End date: Monday, April 6 (national championship)

The 2026 NCAA Tournament consists of the First Four, first round, second round, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four and national championship game.

The tournament will begin on Tuesday, March 17, with the First Four in Dayton, Ohio. The first round is then set to begin by March 19, and by Saturday, April 4, the Final Four will be underway at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

That will all set the stage for the championship matchup, which will be on Monday, April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

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Here is the full schedule for March Madness 2026:

Round

Date

First Four

March 17-18

Round 1

March 19-20

Round 2

March 21-22

Sweet 16

March 26-27

Elite Eight

March 28-29

Final Four

April 4

National…

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Publish date : 2026-03-06 07:10:00

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