March Madness 2026 has arrived, bringing the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament back to national television and streaming platforms. This article will be updated with additional games, times, and broadcast information as the tournament progresses.
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament remains one of the biggest sporting events in the United States. Last year’s tournament drew nearly 21 million viewers, the highest ratings in eight years.
The 2026 tournament features the top teams in college basketball competing in a single-elimination format to determine the national champion. Programs such as the Duke Blue Devils, Michigan Wolverines, Arizona Wildcats, and defending champion Florida Gators entered the tournament among the top contenders.
However, the unpredictable nature of March Madness means lower-seeded teams often produce surprising upsets that disrupt brackets across the country.
The tournament begins with the First Four games and continues through several rounds before ending with the national championship in April.
How to Watch the Men’s Division 1 2026 NCAA Tournament on TV
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament is broadcast across four national networks.
Games will air on CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV throughout the tournament. The First Four games at the start of the tournament aired on truTV.
The broadcast schedule rotates among the four networks as the tournament moves through the first round, second round, and later stages.
The Final Four and national championship will air on CBS.
Fans can check local listings or network schedules to confirm where each matchup will appear as the tournament continues.
Where to Stream March Madness 2026 Games
Viewers who prefer streaming options have several ways to watch the tournament.
Men’s NCAA tournament games are available to stream on HBO Max and Paramount+ with the premium subscription tier.
Additional streaming services that carry the tournament include Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, Sling, and Fubo.
Many of these services offer free trials for new subscribers, which allows viewers to stream tournament games without an existing cable subscription.
Streaming platforms typically carry the same network broadcasts that appear on CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV.
How to Watch March Madness 2026 for Free
Fans can also watch games without a paid subscription.
The NCAA March Madness Live app streams tournament games at no cost. The app is available for download on Apple devices and through the Google Play store.
Viewers can also access the service through the NCAA website.
The free streaming option allows fans to watch live games and follow the tournament from mobile devices, tablets, and smart televisions.
Key Dates for the 2026 NCAA Tournament
The first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament takes place March 19 and March 20.
The second round follows March 21 and March 22.
The Sweet 16 will be played March 26 and March 27. The Elite Eight games take place March 28 and March 29.
The Final Four will be played April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The first semifinal game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Eastern time, with the second semifinal starting about 30 minutes after the first game concludes.
The national championship game will take place April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Tipoff for the championship is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Eastern time on CBS.
March Madness Thursday Schedule: March 19 Games
12:15 p.m. — No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU (CBS)
12:40 p.m. — No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy (TruTV)
1:30 p.m. — No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida (TNT)
1:50 p.m. — No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point (TBS)
2:50 p.m. — No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena (CBS)
3:15 p.m. — No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese (TruTV)
4:05 p.m. — No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State (TNT)
4:25 p.m. — No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii (TBS)
6:50 p.m. — No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU (TNT)
7:10 p.m. — No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 Howard (CBS)
7:25 p.m. — No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas (TBS)
7:35 p.m. — No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Texas A&M (TruTV)
9:25 p.m. — No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn (TNT)
9:45 p.m. — No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis (CBS)
10:00 p.m. — No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State (TBS)
10:10 p.m. — No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho (TruTV)
March Madness Friday Schedule: March 20 Games
12:15 p.m. — No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara (CBS)
12:40 p.m. — No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 12 Akron (TruTV)
1:35 p.m. — No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 LIU (TNT)
1:50 p.m. — No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State (TBS)
2:50 p.m. — No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State (CBS)
3:15 p.m. — No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra (TruTV)
4:10 p.m. — No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State (TNT)
4:25 p.m. — No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio) (TBS)
6:50 p.m. — No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa (TNT)
7:10 p.m. — No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa (CBS)
7:25 p.m. — No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF (TBS)
7:35 p.m. — No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens
9:25 p.m. — No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs. No. 1 Florida (TNT)
9:45 p.m. — No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist (CBS)
10:00 p.m. — No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman (TBS)
10:10 p.m. — No. 7 Miami vs. No. 10 Missouri (TruTV)
March Madness 2026: How to Watch & Stream the Men’s Division 1 NCAA Tournament