March Madness – Full Schedule & Official Bracket

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PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND - MARCH 20: A general view of the court during the first half of the game between the Omaha Mavericks and the St. John's Red Storm in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Amica Mutual Pavillion on March 20, 2025 in Providence, Rhode Island. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

On Selection Sunday, the official 2026 NCAA March Madness bracket was announced for the tournament which serves as the premiere test for collegiate Division 1 men’s basketball teams to prove themselves as the nation’s best amongst the rest.

Find the full 2026 March Madness Tournament schedule below, along with the official bracket for this year’s competition.

Full Schedule of March Madness Rounds – Key Dates

• Selection Sunday – Sunday, March 15, 2026
• First Four – Tuesday, March 17, 2026 & Wednesday, March 18, 2026
• First Round – Thursday, March 19, 2026 & Friday, March 20, 2026
• Second Round – Saturday, March 21, 2026 & Sunday, March 22, 2026
• Sweet 16 – Thursday, March 26, 2026 & Friday, March 27, 2026
• Elite Eight – Saturday, March 28, 2026 & Sunday, March 29, 2026
• Final Four – Saturday, April 4, 2026
• NCAA Championship Game – Monday, April 6, 2026

Official Bracket & Full Schedule of 2026 March Madness Tournament

For the locations and full details of each individual round of competition, you can find expanded information here.

First Four – Tuesday, March 17, 2026

• Game 1 – No. 16 UMBC vs No. 16 Howard, 6:40 PM ET / 5:40 PM CT
• Winner: Howard

• Game 2 – No. 11 Texas vs No. 11 NC State, 9:15 PM ET / 8:15 PM CT
• Winner: Texas

First Four – Wednesday, March 18, 2026

• Game 3 – No. 16 Prairie View vs No. 16 Lehigh, 6:40 PM ET / 5:40 PM CT
• Winner: Prairie View

• Game 4 – No. 11 Miami OH vs No. 11 SMU, 9:15 PM ET / 8:15 PM CT
• Winner: Miami OH

First Round – Thursday, March 19, 2026

• Game 1 – No. 9 TCU vs No. 8 Ohio State, 12:15 PM ET / 11:15 AM CT
• Winner: TCU

• Game 2 – No. 13 Troy vs No. 4 Nebraska, 12:40 PM ET / 11:40 AM CT
• Winner: Nebraska

• Game 3 – No. 11 South Florida vs No. 6 Louisville, 1:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM CT
• Winner: Louisville

• Game 4 – No. 12 High Point vs No. 5 Wisconsin, 1:50 PM ET / 12:50 PM CT
• Winner: High Point

• Game 5 – No. 16 Siena vs No. 1 Duke, 2:50 PM ET / 1:50 PM CT
• Winner: Duke

• Game 6 – No. 12 McNeese State vs No. 5 Vanderbilt, 3:15 PM ET / 2:15 PM CT
• Winner: Vanderbilt

• Game 7 – No. 14 ND State vs No. 3 Michigan State, 4:05 PM ET / 3:05 PM CT
• Winner: Michigan State

• Game 8 – No. 13 Hawaii vs No. 4 Arkansas, 4:25 PM ET / 3:25 PM CT
• Winner: Arkansas

• Game 9 – No. 11 VCU vs No. 6 UNC, 6:50 PM ET / 5:50 PM CT
• Winner: VCU

• Game 10 – Howard vs No. 1 Michigan, 7:10 PM ET / 6:10 PM CT
• Winner: Michigan

• Game 11 – Texas vs No. 6 BYU, 7:25 PM ET / 6:25 PM CT
• Winner: Texas

• Game 12 – No. 10 Texas A&M vs No. 7 St. Mary’s CA, 7:35 PM ET / 6:35 PM CT
• Winner: Texas A&M

• Game 13 – No. 14 Penn vs No. 3 Illinois, 9:25 PM ET / 8:25 PM CT
• Winner: Illinois

• Game 14 – No. 9 Saint Louis vs No. 8 Georgia, 9:45 PM ET / 8:45 PM CT
• Winner: Saint Louis

• Game 15 – No. 14 Kennesaw St vs No. 3 Gonzaga, 10:00 PM ET / 9:00 PM CT
• Winner: Gonzaga

• Game 16 – No. 15 Idaho vs No. 2 Houston, 10:10 PM ET / 9:10 PM CT
• Winner: Houston

First Round – Friday, March 20, 2026

• Game 17 – No. 10 Santa Clara vs No. 7 Kentucky, 12:15 PM ET / 11:15 AM CT
• Winner: Kentucky

• Game 18 – No. 12 Akron vs No. 5 Texas Tech, 12:40 PM ET / 11:40 AM CT
• Winner: Texas Tech

• Game 19 – No. 16 LIU vs No. 1 Arizona, 1:35 PM ET / 12:35 PM CT
• Winner: Arizona

• Game 20 – No. 14 Wright State vs No. 3 Virginia, 1:50 PM ET / 12:50 PM CT
• Winner: Virginia

• Game 21 – No. 15 Tennessee State vs No. 2 Iowa State, 2:50 PM ET / 1:50 PM CT
• Winner: Iowa State

• Game 22 – No. 13 Hofstra vs No. 4 Alabama, 3:15 PM ET / 2:15 PM CT
• Winner: Alabama

• Game 23 – No. 9 Utah State vs No. 8 Villanova, 4:10 PM ET / 3:10 PM CT
• Winner: Utah State

• Game 24 – Miami OH vs No. 6 Tennessee, 4:25 PM ET / 3:25 PM CT
• Winner: Tennessee

• Game 25 – No. 9 Iowa vs No. 8 Clemson, 6:50 PM ET / 5:50 PM CT
• Winner: Clemson

• Game 26 – No. 12 UNI vs No. 5 St. John’s, 7:10 PM ET / 6:10 PM CT
• Winner: St. John’s

• Game 27 – No. 10 UNC vs No. 7 UCLA, 7:25 PM ET / 6:25 PM CT
• Winner: UCLA

• Game 28 – No. 15 Queens NC vs No. 2 Purdue, 7:35 PM ET /6:35 PM CT
• Winner: Purdue

• Game 29 – Prairie View vs No. 1 Florida, 9:25 PM ET / 8:25 PM CT
• Winner: Florida

• Game 30 – No. 13 CA Baptist vs No. 4 Kansas, 9:45 PM ET / 8:45 PM CT
• Winner: Kansas

• Game 31 – No. 15 Furman vs No. 2 UConn, 10:00 PM ET / 9:00 PM CT
• Winner: UConn

• Game 32 – No. 10 Missouri vs No. 7 Miami FL, 10:10 PM ET / 9:10 PM CT
• Winner: Miami FL

Second Round with the Top 32 Teams

Second Round – Saturday, March 21, 2026

• Game 1 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 2 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 3 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 4 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 5 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 6 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 7 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 8 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

Second Round – Sunday, March 22, 2026

• Game 9 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 10 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 11 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 12 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 13 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 14 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 15 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 16 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

Sweet 16 and Elite Eight Rounds of Tournament Play

Sweet 16 – Thursday, March 26, 2026

• Game 1 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 2 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 3 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 4 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

Sweet 16 – Friday, March 27, 2026

• Game 5 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 6 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 7 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 8 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

Elite Eight – Saturday, March 28, 2026

• Game 1 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 2 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

Elite Eight – Sunday, March 29, 2026

• Game 3 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 4 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

Final Four of 2026 March Madness Tournament

• Game 1 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

• Game 2 – TBD
• Winner: TBD

NCAA Championship Game

• Championship Game: TBD
• Winner: TBD