yahoo - 3/16/2026 4:08:27 PM - GMT (+2 )
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:
(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)
- (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)
- (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)
- (7) Kentucky vs. (10) Santa Clara | 12:15 p.m. | CBS (Fubo)
- (5) Texas Tech vs. (12) Akron | 12:40 p.m. | truTV (Sling TV)
- (1) Arizona vs. (16) LIU | 1:35 p.m. | TNT (Sling TV)
- (3) Virginia vs. (14) Wright State | 1:50 p.m. | TBS (Sling TV)
- (2) Iowa State vs. (15) Tennessee State | 2:50 p.m. | CBS (Fubo)
- (4) Alabama vs. (13) Hofstra | 3:15 p.m. | truTV (Sling TV)
- (8) Villanova vs. (9) Utah State | 4:10 p.m. | TNT (Sling TV)
- (6) Tennessee vs. (11) Miami (Ohio)/SMU | 4:25 p.m. | TBS (Sling TV)
- (8) Clemson vs. (9) Iowa | 6:50 p.m. | TNT (Sling TV)
- (5) St. John's vs. (12) Northern Iowa | 7:10 p.m. | CBS (Fubo)
- (7) UCLA vs. (10) Central Florida | 7:25 p.m. | TBS (Sling TV)
- (2) Purdue vs. (15) Queens | 7:35 p.m. | truTV (Sling TV)
- (1) Florida vs. (16) Prairie View A&M/Lehigh | 9:25 p.m. | TNT (Sling TV)
- (4) Kansas vs. (13) Cal Baptist | 9:45 p.m. | CBS (Fubo)
- (2) UConn vs. (15) Furman | 10 p.m. | TBS (Sling TV)
- (7) Miami vs. (10) Missouri | 10:10 p.m. | truTV (Sling TV
This section will be updated
Sunday, March 22 (Second round)This section will be updated
Thursday, March 26 (Sweet 16)At Toyota Center in Houston and SAP Center in San Jose, California
This section will be updated
Friday, March 27 (Sweet 16)At United Center in Chicago and Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
This section will be updated
Saturday, March 28 (Elite 8)At Toyota Center in Houston and SAP Center in San Jose, California
This section will be updated
Sunday, March 29 (Elite 8)At United Center in Chicago and Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
This section will be updated
Saturday, April 4 (Final Four)At Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
Monday, April 6 (National championship game)At Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
When is the first March Madness game?- Date: Tuesday, March 17
- Start time: 6:40 p.m. ET
- Matchup: (16) UMBC vs. (16) Howard | truTV (Sling TV)
March Madness gets underway on Tuesday, March 17, with a pair of play-in games. In the No. 11 seed game, Texas takes on North Carolina State. In the No. 16 game, it will be UMBC vs. Howard.
The matchup between the Retrievers and Bison is scheduled for a 6:40 p.m. ET tip-off. The game is set to be broadcast nationally on truTV.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 March Madness schedule: Scores, times, TV for NCAA tournament
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