March Madness 2026: How to watch the first round without cable


When are you watching the first round?

  • Friday and Saturday 20 to 21 March (women)
  • Thursday and Friday, March 19 to 20 (men)

Where to watch

  • The men’s first round will be broadcast on CBS, TNT, TBS and TruTV and streamed on HBO Max.
  • The women’s first-round games will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNNews and broadcast on ESPN Unlimited.

Look at DirecTV

DirectTV

It carries every channel for March Madness

DirecTV MySports package

NCAA March Madness is here! It’s been almost a year since the Florida Gators won the men’s basketball championship and the UConn Huskies captured the women’s title, and both teams have top seeds for the 2026 NCAA Tournament as well. The Gators find themselves sharing first place with Duke, Michigan and Arizona, while the Women’s Huskies join Texas, South Carolina and UCLA in the top four.

The men’s first round is already underway and there are plenty of surprises after day one, with teams like BYU, UNC and Wisconsin already eliminated (my bracket is a hot mess now, what does your bracket look like?) and the first round of the women’s tournament begins on Friday. The men’s first-round games will be syndicated across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV and streamed on HBO Max or Paramount Plus. The women’s first round airs on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNNews and streams on ESPN Unlimited.

Here’s a breakdown of every team playing, how to watch and everything else you need to know.

When is March Madness 2026?

March Madness 2026 officially began on Tuesday, March 17 with the first four men’s games. The women’s top four competitions were held on Wednesday, March 18 and Thursday, March 19. The games will continue through the rest of March and into early April. The women’s tournament final is scheduled to be held on April 5, and the men’s tournament is scheduled to be held on April 6.

Watch March Madness without cable

Women’s March Madness games will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNNews. Every First Four game in the women’s tournament will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN Unlimited. Men’s March Madness games will be split between TNT, TBS, truTV and CBS. You can catch all of the men’s First Four games on TruTV via HBO Max.

espn

ESPN Unlimited is a comprehensive, independent streaming service from ESPN. For $30 a month, you can watch all of the women’s March Madness games in one place. Read our review of ESPN Unlimited.

Zoe Liao/CNET

With HBO Max, you can stream 46 games in the men’s March Madness tournament, including the Final Four and the tournament final. And with the multi-viewing experience offered by HBO Max, you can stream up to three matches simultaneously. Live sports are only available on HBO Max’s Standard ($18.50 per month) and Premium plans ($23 per month).

James Martin/CNET

You’ll be able to watch select games from the first round to the Elite Eight live on CBS, streaming on Paramount Plus Premium. A subscription normally costs $14 per month, but from now until March 31, new and select returning customers can get the first two months for just $3 per month.

Watch March Madness with a live TV streaming service

Don’t want to subscribe to multiple streaming services to watch March Madness? This is understandable. There are a few Live TV services Where you can watch most or all of the men’s and women’s tournaments in one place. Every one of them Offers a free trial.

The men’s matches will be broadcast on TBS, TNT, TruTV and CBS, and the women’s matches will be carried on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNNews. By subscribing to YouTube TV, DirecTV, or Hulu Plus Live TV, you can watch every channel broadcasting the men’s and women’s tournaments.

We’ll note that Fubo offers major sporting events and also includes access to ESPN Unlimited, and doesn’t support TBS, TNT, or TruTV, making it a less ideal option for watching the men’s tournament.

James Martin/CNET

YouTube TV costs $83 per month and includes TBS, TNT, truTV, and CBS for the men’s tournament and the ESPN channel lineup for the women’s tournament. You can now subscribe to YouTube TV and get the first two months for $60 per month, and there’s a 21-day free trial.

Not all local channels are available in every market, so you’ll need to check the availability of networks broadcasting the 2026 tournament in your area. Plug in your zip code on Welcome page To see which local networks you get.

Read our YouTube TV review.

James Martin/CNET

Hulu with Live TV costs $90 per month and features every channel you need to watch March Madness tournaments. attic Live news pageyou can enter your zip code under “Can I watch local news in my area?” Ask at the bottom of the page to find out which local channels you get.

Read our Hulu with Live TV review.

James Martin/CNET

DirecTV’s MySports package costs $70 per month and includes ABC, CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV, and ESPN Unlimited, meaning it’s one of the most comprehensive places to watch every March Madness game. use Channel search tool To find out the local channels available where you live. Read our DirecTV MySports review.

Fubo

The Fubo Sports Package costs $46 for the first month after the free trial. Like Fubo’s basic packages, it offers ABC, CBS, and a subscription to ESPN Unlimited. Fubo’s Pro plan costs $74 per month and includes ABC, CBS, and access to ESPN Unlimited. Fubo is currently offering the first month for $49 on the Pro plan. Click here To see which local channels you get.
Read our Fubo review.

For more, check out our guide to live TV streaming services and recommendations The best sports streaming services.

March Madness tournament schedule:

March Madness schedule for men

  • The first four: Tuesday-Wednesday
  • First round: Thursday-Friday
  • Second round: Saturday-Sunday
  • Sweet 16: March 26-27
  • Elite Eight: March 28-29
  • Final Four: April 4
  • National Championship: April 6, 8:30 PM ET (TBS)

March Madness schedule for women

  • The first four: Wednesday-Thursday
  • First round: Friday and Saturday
  • Second round: Sunday and Monday
  • Sweet 16: March 27-28
  • Elite Eight: March 29-30
  • Final Four: April 3 at 7 p.m. ET (The second semifinal begins 30 minutes after the end of the first.)
  • NCAA Championship Game: April 5 at 3:30 PM ET (ABC)

March Madness men’s singles match schedule:

All times Eastern. For completed matches, the winning team is shown in bold.

The first four:

Tuesday

  • 6:40 p.m.: No. 16 UMBC (83) vs. (86) No. 16 Howard (True TV)
  • 9:10 PM: No. 11 Texas (68) vs. (66) No. 11 NC State (TruTV)

Wednesday

  • 6:40 PM: No. 16 A&M Prairie Show (67) Opposite (55) No. 16 Lehigh (TruTV)
  • 9:10 PM: No. 11 Miami (Ohio) (89) vs. (79) No. 11 SMU (TruTV)

First round:

Thursday

  • 12:15 p.m.: No. 8 Ohio State (64) vs. (66) No. 9 TCU (CBS)
  • 12:40 PM: No. 4 Nebraska (76) vs. (47) No. 13 Troy (TruTV)
  • 1:30 PM: No. 6 Louisville (83) (79) vs. No. 11 South Florida (TNT)
  • 1:50 p.m.: No. 5 Wisconsin (82) vs. (83) No. 12 High Pointt (tps)
  • 2:50 PM: No. 1 Duke (71) (65) No. 16 Siena (CBS)
  • 3:15 pm: No. 5 Vanderbilt (78) vs. (68) No. 12 McNeese (TruTV)
  • 4:05 PM: No. 3 Michigan State (92) vs. (67) No. 14 North Dakota State
  • 4:25 pm: Well 4 Arkansas (97) vs. (78) No. 13 Hawaii (TBS)
  • 6:50 p.m.: No. 6 North Carolina (78) vs. (82) No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth University (TNT)
  • 7:10 PM: No. 1 Michigan (101) vs. (80) No. 16 Howard (CBS)
  • 7:25 p.m.: No. 6 BYU (71) vs. (79) No. 11 Texas (Tbs)
  • 7:35 p.m.: No. 7 St. Mary’s (50) vs. (63) No. 10 Texas A&M (True TV)
  • 9:25 pm: No. 3 Illinois (105) vs. (70) No. 14 Pennsylvania (TNT)
  • 9:45 p.m.: No. 8 Georgia (77) vs. No. 9 St. Louis (102) (CBS)
  • 10 pm: No. 3 Gonzaga (73) vs. (64) No. 14 Kennesaw State (TBS)
  • 10:10 PM: No. 2 Houston (78) vs. (47) No. 15 Idaho (TruTV)

Friday

  • 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 vs. No. 15 Tennessee (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) or SMU (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 (TruTV)
  • 9:25 p.m.: No. 16 Prairie View A&M O’Lehigh vs. No. 1 Florida (TNT)
  • 9:45 p.m.: No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist (CBS)
  • 10 p.m.: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman (TBS)
  • 10:10 p.m.: No. 7 Miami vs. No. 10 Missouri (TruTV)

March Madness women’s singles match schedule:

All times Eastern.

The first four:

Wednesday

Thursday

First round:

Friday

  • 11:30 a.m.: No. 3 Duke vs. No. 14 Charleston (ESPN2)
  • 12 noon: No. 3 TCU vs. No. 14 UC San Diego (ESPN)
  • 1:30 PM ET: No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Virginia Tech (ESPN2)
  • 2 p.m.: No. 6 Baylor vs. No. 11 Nebraska/Richmond (ESPN)
  • 2:30 p.m.: No. 6 Washington vs. No. 11 South Dakota State (ESPN News)
  • 3 p.m.: No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 12 Murray State (ESPNU)
  • 3:30 p.m.: No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Gonzaga (ESPN2)
  • 4 p.m.: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 Stephen F. Austin/Missouri State (ESPN)
  • 5:30 p.m.: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Holy Cross (ESPN2)
  • 5:30 p.m.: No. 4 North Carolina vs. No. 13 Western Illinois (ESPN News)
  • 6 p.m.: No. 2 LSU vs. No. 15 Jacksonville (ESPN)
  • 6 p.m.: No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Green Bay (ESPNU)
  • 7:30 p.m.: No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Colorado State (ESPN News)
  • 8 p.m.: No. 7 NC State vs. No. 10 Tennessee (ESPN)
  • 8:30 p.m.: No. 7 Texas Tech vs. No. 10 Villanova (ESPNU)
  • 10 p.m.: No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Idaho (ESPN)

Saturday

  • 11:30 p.m.: No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 14 Howard (ESPN2)
  • 12 p.m.: No. 3 Louisville vs. No. 14 Vermont (ESPN)
  • 1 p.m.: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Samford/Southern (ABC)
  • 1:30 p.m.: No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 10 Virginia/Arizona State (ESPN2)
  • 2 p.m.: No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 11 Fairfield (ESPN)
  • 2:30 p.m.: No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 12 James Madison (ESPNU)
  • 2:30 p.m.: No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Rhode Island (ESPN News)
  • 3 p.m.: No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 UTSA (ABC)
  • 3:30 p.m.: No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 USC (ESPN2)
  • 4 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson (ESPN)
  • 5 p.m.: No. 4 West Virginia vs. No. 13 Miami (Ohio) (ESPNU)
  • 5:30 p.m.: No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 Syracuse (ESPN2)
  • 7 p.m.: No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 High Point (ESPN News)
  • 7:30 p.m.: No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. No. 9 Princeton (ESPN2)
  • 9:30 p.m.: No. 7 Illinois vs. No. 10 Colorado (ESPN2)
  • 10 p.m.: No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 California Baptist (ESPN)



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *