The most thrilling three weeks in college basketball are officially underway. March Madness 2026 has arrived, and CBS Sports and TNT Sports’ exclusive coverage kicks off with the NCAA First Four on truTV, with the bracket madness running all the way through a national championship showdown in Indianapolis.
The 68-team bracket was announced on Selection Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on March 15 on CBS, setting the stage for what promises to be one of the most competitive tournaments in recent memory.
The First Four — Where March Madness Begins
First Four action gets underway from Dayton, Ohio, on March 17, with four bubble teams fighting for their right to stay alive. Tuesday, March 17 opens with No. 16 UMBC vs. No. 16 Howard at 6:40 p.m. ET on truTV, followed by No. 11 Texas vs. No. 11 NC State at 9:15 p.m. ET, also on truTV.
Wednesday’s First Four slate is equally compelling:
- No. 16 Prairie View vs. No. 16 Lehigh — March 18, 6:40 p.m. ET, truTV
- No. 11 Miami (OH) vs. No. 11 SMU — March 18, 9:15 p.m. ET, truTV
Since 2011, the First Four has been the true opening act of March Madness— and this year’s matchups carry real intrigue heading into the Round of 64.
First Round — Thursday, March 19
The madness explodes on Thursday as 32 teams take the floor across four venues. Thursday’s first-round sites include KeyBank Center in Buffalo, Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, and Moda Center in Portland. Key matchups include
- No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 USF — 1:30 p.m. ET, TNT (Buffalo)
- No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point — 1:50 p.m. ET, TBS (Portland)
- No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State — 4:05 p.m. ET, TNT (Buffalo)
- No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii — 4:25 p.m. ET, TBS (Portland)
- No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas/NC State — 7:25 p.m. ET, TBS (Portland)
- No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State — 10 p.m. ET, TBS (Portland)
First Round — Friday, March 20
Friday’s first-round venues include Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Viejas Arena in San Diego, and Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Highlighted matchups include
- No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara — 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS (St. Louis)
- No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 Long Island — 1:35 p.m. ET, TNT (San Diego)
- No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State — 2:50 p.m. ET, CBS (St. Louis)
- No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa — 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS (San Diego)
- No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF — 7:25 p.m. ET, TBS (Philadelphia)
- No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Prairie View/Lehigh — 9:25 p.m. ET, TNT (Tampa)
- No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman — 10 p.m. ET, TBS (Philadelphia)
- No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist — 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS (San Diego)
March Madness How to Watch — Every Channel Covered
All games air across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, with full streaming available on NCAA March Madness Live. CBS games stream on Paramount+, while TBS, TNT, and truTV games stream on HBO Max.
Duke, Arizona, Michigan, and Florida claimed the No. 1 seeds in the four regions, making them the teams to beat — though in March, no lead and no bracket is ever safe.
The Road to Indianapolis
The Final Four is set for Saturday, April 4, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the national championship game following on Monday, April 6 — where one program will cut down the nets and claim college basketball’s ultimate prize.
Second Round tip times will be released after Thursday’s games conclude, so keep the bracket close and the remote closer.
Source: NCAA
