The 2026 men's NCAA tournament will cap the 2025-26 men's college basketball season, which tips Nov. 3. By the end, on April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, a champion will be crowned. Let's look at the details of how that will happen.
March Madness 2026 begins with the announcement of the 68-team bracket on Selection Sunday (March 15).
The First Four, at UD Arena in Dayton, will consist of eight teams playing for a spot in the opening round on Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18.
The round of 64 begins Thursday, March 19, and the round of 32 begins Saturday, March 21. The cities for the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament are: Buffalo, New York; Greenville, South Carolina; Oklahoma City; Portland; Tampa; Philadelphia; San Diego; and St. Louis, Missouri.
The regional semifinals (Sweet 16) and finals (Elite Eight) will take place in Houston (South); San Jose, California (West); Chicago (Midwest); and Washington, D.C. (East).
The Final Four will take place April 4 and 6 in Indianapolis.
Complete dates and venue information for the 2025 Division I men's NCAA tournament are below.
Meanwhile, bookmark Joe Lunardi's ESPN Bracketology for projections of the field, including teams considered to be on the bubble. The bracket will be updated every Tuesday during the nonconference portion of the 2025-26 regular season, every Tuesday and Friday during conference play and more frequently during league tournaments -- aka Champ Week -- in the lead-up to Selection Sunday.
Selection Sunday: March 15
First Four: March 17-18
UD Arena, Dayton
First round (round of 64): March 19
KeyBank Center, Buffalo
Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City
Moda Center, Portland
First round (round of 64): March 20
Amalie Arena, Tampa
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
Viejas Arena, San Diego
Enterprise Center, St. Louis
Second round (round of 32): March 21
KeyBank Center, Buffalo
Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City
Moda Center, Portland
Second round (round of 32): March 22
Amalie Arena, Tampa
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
Viejas Arena, San Diego
Enterprise Center, St. Louis
Sweet 16 (regional semifinals): March 26
South: Toyota Center, Houston
West: SAP Center, San Jose
Sweet 16 (regional semifinals): March 27
Midwest: United Center, Chicago
East: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
Elite Eight (regional finals): March 28
South: Toyota Center, Houston
West: SAP Center, San Jose
Elite Eight (regional finals): March 29
Midwest: United Center, Chicago
East: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
Final Four (national semifinals and national championship): April 4, 6
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis