NCAA Tournament 2026: Schedule, times, how to watch all men's March Madness games

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NCAA Tournament 2026: Schedule, times, how to watch all men's March Madness games

Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY NETWORK · USA TODAY Sports

Mon, Mar 16, 2026 ·

4 min read

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The 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament is officially set.

It's time to see if Florida basketball can repeat as national champions or if one of the star freshmen across the sport can lead their team to a championship run. Along with the Gators, Duke , Arizona and Michigan earned No. 1 seeds and are the early favorites to win it all.

But that does not mean they will. Last season, we saw four No. 1 seeds reach the Final Four, a rare occurrence. It's more likely we see a major upset than a repeat of that for the third time in NCAA Tournament history.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness Final Four predictions to win 2026 NCAA Tournament regions

With the play-in games, the tournament officially gets underway on Tuesday, March 17. First-round games are scheduled to begin on Thursday, March 19. The Final Four will be played on Monday, April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Here's what to know about the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament schedule, from the First Four to the national championship game:

2026: Michigan Wolverines
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

2025: Florida Gators
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

2024: Connecticut Huskies
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)

2023: Connecticut Huskies
(Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)

2022: Kansas Jayhawks
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

2021: Baylor Bears
(Grace Hollars, IndyStar)

2019: Virginia Cavaliers
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)

2018: Villanova Wildcats
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)

2017: North Carolina Tar Heels
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

2016: Villanova Wildcats
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)

2015: Duke Blue Devils
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)

2014: Connecticut Huskies
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

2013: Louisville Cardinals (title later vacated)
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

2012: Kentucky Wildcats
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

2011: Connecticut Huskies
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

2010: Duke Blue Devils
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

2009: North Carolina Tar Heels
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

2008: Kansas Jayhawks
(Jerry Lai, USA TODAY Sports)

2007: Florida Gators
(H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY Sports)

2006: Florida Gators
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)

2005: North Carolina Tar Heels
(H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY Sports)

2004: Connecticut Huskies
(H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY Sports)

2003: Syracuse Orangemen
(H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY Sports)

2002: Maryland Terrapins
(MICHAEL A. SCHWARZ, USA TODAY Sports)

2001: Duke Blue Devils
(JACK GRUBER, USA TODAY Sports)

2000: Michigan State Spartans
(ROBERT DEUTSCH, USA TODAY Sports)

1999: Connecticut Huskies
(EILEEN BLASS, USA TODAY Sports)

1998: Kentucky Wildcats
(ROBERT DEUTSCH, USA TODAY Sports)

1997: Arizona Wildcats
(H. DARR BEISER, USA TODAY Sports)

1996: Kentucky Wildcats
(Doug Pensinger, Getty Images)

1995: UCLA Bruins
(RVR Photos, USA TODAY Sports)

1994: Arkansas Razorbacks
(Doug Pensinger, Getty Images)

1993: North Carolina Tar Heels
(Doug Pensinger, Getty Images)

1992: Duke Blue Devils
(Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)

1990: UNLV Runnin' Rebels
(Ken Levine, Getty Images)

1989: Michigan Wolverines
(Getty Images)

1988: Kansas Jayhawks
(ROBERT DEUTSCH, USA TODAY Sports)

1987: Indiana Hoosiers
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1986: Louisville Cardinals
(The Courier-Journal)

1985: Villanova Wildcats
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1984: Georgetown Hoyas
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1983: North Carolina State Wolfpack
(Getty Images)

1982: North Carolina Tar Heels
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1981: Indiana Hoosiers
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1980: Louisville Cardinals
(The Courier-Journal)

1979: Michigan State Spartans
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1978: Kentucky Wildcats
(Malcolm Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

1977: Marquette
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1976: Indiana Hoosiers
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1975: UCLA Bruins
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1974: North Carolina State Wolfpack
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1973: UCLA Bruins
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1972: UCLA Bruins
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1971: UCLA Bruins
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1970: UCLA Bruins
(Malcolm Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

1969: UCLA Bruins
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1968: UCLA Bruins
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1967: UCLA Bruins
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1966: Texas Western Miners
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1965: UCLA Bruins
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1964: UCLA Bruins
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1963: Loyola Ramblers
(Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

1961: Cincinnati Bearcats
(Malcolm Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

1960: Ohio State Buckeyes
(Bill Foley, Columbus Dispatch)

March Madness schedule 2026

(All times Eastern)

Tuesday, March 17 (First Four)

(16) UMBC vs. (16) Howard | 6:40 p.m. | truTV ( Sling TV )
(11) Texas vs. (11) North Carolina State | 9:15 p.m. | truTV ( Sling TV )

Wednesday, March 18 (First Four)

(16) Prairie View A&M vs. (16) Lehigh | 6:40 p.m. | truTV ( Sling TV )
(11) Miami (Ohio) vs. (11) Southern Methodist | 9:10 p.m. | truTV ( Sling TV )

Thursday, March 19 (First round)

(8) Ohio State vs. (9) TCU | 12:15 p.m. | CBS ( Fubo )
(4) Nebraska vs. (13) Troy | 12:40 p.m. | truTV ( Sling TV )
(6) Louisville vs. (11) South Florida | 1:30 p.m. | TNT ( Sling TV )
(5) Wisconsin vs. (12) High Point | 1:50 p.m. | TBS ( Sling TV )
(1) Duke vs. (16) Siena | 2:50 p.m. | CBS ( Fubo )
(5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) McNeese | 3:15 p.m. | truTV ( Sling TV )
(3) Michigan State vs. (14) North Dakota State | 4:05 p.m. | TNT ( Sling TV )
No. (4) Arkansas vs. (13) Hawai'i | 4:25 p.m. | TBS ( Sling TV )
(6) North Carolina vs. (11) VCU | 6:50 p.m. | TNT ( Sling TV )
(1) Michigan vs. (16) UMBC/Howard | 7:10 p.m. | CBS ( Fubo )
(6) BYU vs. (11) Texas/NC State | 7:25 p.m. | TBS ( Sling TV )
(7) Saint Mary's vs. (10) Texas A&M | 7:35 p.m. | truTV ( Sling TV )
(3) Illinois vs. (14) Penn | 9:25 p.m. | TNT ( Sling TV )
(8) Georgia vs. (9) Saint Louis | 9:45 p.m. | CBS ( Fubo )
(3) Gonzaga vs. (14) Kennesaw State | 10 p.m. | TBS ( Sling TV )
(2) Houston vs. (15) Idaho | 10:10 p.m. | truTV ( Sling TV )