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The teams have been selected to participate in the men’s and women’s March Madness 2026 tournament, so it’s time for the games to begin! With so many events broadcast across multiple channels and streaming services, we’re here to help you discover the best ways to watch all the action March MadnessFortunately, there are a few that don’t require you to pay for each streaming service separately.
Whether you want to watch with an antenna, through a live TV streaming service or on the NCAA website or app, you can tune in to games every day without subscribing to a bunch of different and often expensive services. Here’s what you need to know to tune in to March Madness this year without spending a lot of money.
When does March Madness 2026 start?
March Madness 2026 officially begins on March 17 with the first four men’s games. The women’s top four will begin on March 18. The entire tournament will conclude in early April.
How to watch March Madness 2026 for free
NCAA March Madness Live website and March Madness Live app They are great options for watching games for free. You can watch matches on iOS and Android devices as well as Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, and Xbox, but you’ll need to sign in with a valid TV provider login information.
You can also connect Indoor antenna to your TV and watch matches broadcast on ABC and CBS. Our experts compare Best antennas It can help you find the right product for you, and our top pick comes in at $40. Want to watch March Madness without any strings attached? Try a free trial from a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV, which comes with a free trial.
How to watch March Madness live without cable
Women’s March Madness games will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNNews. The women’s tournament final will be broadcast on ABC and broadcast on ESPN Unlimited. The men’s matches will be broadcast on TruTV, CBS, TNT and TBS.
ESPN Unlimited is ESPN’s all-in-one independent streaming service. For $30 a month, you can watch all of the women’s March Madness games in one place. Read our review of ESPN Unlimited.
You’ll be able to watch select games from the first round to the Elite Eight live on CBS, streaming on Paramount Plus Premium for $14 per month.
With HBO Max, you can stream 46 games in the men’s March Madness tournament, including the Final Four and Champions League final. With the HBO Max multi-viewing experience, you can stream up to three games simultaneously. Live sports are only available on HBO Max Standard ($18.50 per month) and Premium plans ($23 per month).
Watch March Madness for free with a live TV streaming service
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, and many of them offer a generous free trial that will give you access to much, or even all of the 2026 March Madness tournament.
If you’re a new YouTube TV subscriber, you can try out their service for 21 days before committing or paying a dime, which will give you access to the entire 2026 tournament. DirecTV and Hulu Plus Live TV offer every channel you need to watch live broadcasts of the men’s and women’s tournaments, though their experiences are much shorter: five days and three days, respectively.
While Fubo carries plenty of major sporting events and also includes access to ESPN Unlimited, it doesn’t carry TBS, TNT, or TruTV, making it a less ideal option for watching the men’s tournament. If you are interested in watching the women’s tournament, the free trial period ranges from 5 to 7 days.
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 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.
Hulu Plus Live TV’s basic plan costs $90 per month and includes every channel you need to watch both 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. You can get a free three-day trial of Hulu Plus Live TV before you sign up. Read our Hulu Plus Live TV review.
The DirecTV MySports package costs $70 per month. They include ABC, CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV, and ESPN Unlimited, as 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, get five days free without any conditions before subscribing. Read our DirecTV MySports review.
The Fubo Pro plan costs $74 per month and includes ABC, CBS, and access to ESPN Unlimited. Fubo offers the first month for $49 after a free trial. The least expensive Fubo Sports plan costs $46 for the first month after the free trial, and also gives you access to CBS, ABC, and ESPN Unlimited. Click here To see which local channels you get. Although Fubo is a great option for watching the women’s tournament, the service doesn’t offer TBS, TNT, or truTV, which you’ll need to watch most men’s matches. 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
Below are the full schedules for the men’s and women’s tournaments:
Men’s March Madness tournament schedule
- The first four: March 17-18
- First round: March 19-20
- Second round: March 21-22
- Sweet 16: March 26-27
- Elite Eight: March 28-29
- Final Four: April 4
- NCAA Championship Game: Monday, April 6, 8:30 PM ET (TBS)
Women’s March Madness tournament schedule
- The first four: March 18-19
- First round: March 20-21
- Second round: March 22-23
- 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: Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 PM ET (ABC)
March Madness men’s singles match schedule
All times Eastern.
The first four:
Tuesday 17 March
- 6:40 p.m.: No. 16 UMBC vs. No. 16 Howard (TruTV)
- 9:10 p.m.: No. 11 Texas vs. No. 11 NC State (TruTV)
Wednesday 18 March
- 6:40 p.m.: No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs. No. 16 Lehigh (TruTV)
- 9:10 p.m.: No. 11 Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 11 SMU (TruTV)
First round:
Thursday 19 March
- 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
- 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 UMBC or Howard (CBS)
- 7:25 p.m.: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas or NC State (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 Pennsylvania (TNT)
- 9:45 p.m.: No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 St. Louis (CBS)
- 10 p.m.: No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State (TBS)
- 10:10 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho (TruTV)
Friday, March 20
- 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 18 March
Thursday 19 March
First round:
Friday 20 March
- 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 21 March
- 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)