It’s almost time for NCAA March Madness. 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 appear poised to once again make a big splash in their respective 2026 NCAA Tournaments. But before we start speculating about who will take it all on this year, we need to know which teams will be playing in March Madness, and it all comes down to Selection Sunday, when the top 68 teams in the men’s and women’s leagues will be revealed.
If you want to watch this year’s Selection Show, the men’s show will air on CBS and stream on Paramount Plus Premium on Sunday, March 15 at 6pm ET/3pm PT, and the women’s show will air on ESPN at 8pm ET/5pm PT. If you want the matches, the top four teams will start both tournaments on March 17 (men’s) and March 18 (women’s); Brackets will be set after Sunday’s selection announcements, but in the meantime, we have the full schedule for each round below.
With so many games broadcast across multiple channels and streaming services, we’re here to help you discover the best ways to watch or flow All March Madness. Here’s what you need to know.
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When is the selection on Sunday?
Selection Sunday is March 15, 2026.
How to watch Selection Sunday
March Madness begins with a selection show, where the teams that have made it to the tournament are announced. With all major college basketball conference tournaments concluding on or before March 15, this is the day we’ll find out which 68 teams will participate in the men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments. The selection show for this year’s men’s tournament airs Sunday, March 15 at 6pm ET on CBS and streams on Paramount Plus Premium. You can also watch the women’s selection show Sunday night at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN.
When does March Madness 2026 start?
March Madness 2026 officially begins on March 17 with the first four men’s games. The women’s first round will start on March 18.
How to watch March Madness
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.
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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.
Men’s March Madness games will be split between TNT, TBS, truTV and CBS.
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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.
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HBO Max
Watch Men’s Games on HBO Max for $18.49 per month
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 HBO Max’s multi-view experience, you can stream up to three matches simultaneously. Live sports are only available on HBO Max’s Standard ($18.49 per month) and Premium plans ($22.99 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. Fortunately, 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.
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 with Live TV, you can watch every channel broadcasting the men’s and women’s tournaments. (Unfortunately, while Fubo is still great for watching many major sporting events and also includes access to ESPN Unlimited, it doesn’t support TBS, TNT, or truTV, making it a less ideal option for watching the men’s tournament.)
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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.
Hulu with Live TV costs the same as YouTube TV per month and features every channel you need to watch the 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.
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.
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. 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.
NCAA March Madness Live website and March Madness Live app They are great options for watching games for free. You can watch March Madness Live on iOS and Android devices as well as Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and Xbox will You must sign in with a valid TV provider login.
Want to watch March Madness without any strings attached? One of the best ways we know to watch the men’s and women’s tournaments is to sign up for a 21-day YouTube TV free trial, which will last long enough for you to watch every match.
March madness tournament schedule
Below are the full schedules for the men’s and women’s tournaments:
March Madness schedule for men
Selected Sunday: March 15, 2026
The first four: March 17-18, 2026
First round: March 19-20, 2026
Second round: March 21-22, 2026
Sweet 16: March 26-27, 2026
Elite Eight: March 28-29, 2026
Final Four: Saturday, April 4, 2026
National Championship: Monday, April 6, 2026 at 8:30 PM ET (TBS)
March Madness schedule for women
Selected Sunday: March 15 on ESPN
The first four: March 18-19, 2026
First round: March 20-21, 2026
Second round: March 22-23, 2026
Sweet 16: March 27-28, 2026
Elite Eight: March 29-30, 2026
Final Four: Friday, April 3 at 7pm (the second semi-final begins 30 minutes after the end of the first).
NCAA Championship Game: Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 PM ET (ABC)
