◉ March Madness 2026
NCAA Tournament
Bracket 2026
Full 68-team bracket · Selection Sunday March 15 · Final Four April 4–6 in Indianapolis
The 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament (March Madness) features 68 teams in a single-elimination bracket organized into 4 regions: South, East, West, and Midwest. Seeds 1–16 per region. Selection Sunday is March 15, 2026 at 6 PM ET on CBS — the full bracket is revealed then. The First Four play-in games are March 17–18. The Round of 64 begins March 19. The Final Four is April 4–5 at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis. The National Championship is April 6, 2026, also at Lucas Oil Stadium. Full schedule & venues →
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2026 Bracket Is Live
The bracket has been announced. Track every game below and on the full schedule page.
2026 NCAA Tournament Bracket — Men's
Live bracket with every region, round, matchup, and result. Select a region tab to view the bracket tree. Winners shown in green.
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2026 Tournament Bracket Rounds
| Round | Dates | Teams | Games | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Four | March 17–18 | 68 | 4 | 11 & 16 seeds |
| Round of 64 | March 19–22 | 64 | 32 | All seeds |
| Round of 32 | March 22–23 | 32 | 16 | All seeds |
| Sweet 16 | March 27–28 | 16 | 8 | All seeds |
| Elite Eight | March 29–30 | 8 | 4 | All seeds |
| Final Four | April 4–5 | 4 | 2 | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis |
| Championship | April 6 | 2 | 1 | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis |
Notable March Madness Upsets (Recent History)
Bracket busters happen every year. These are the biggest upsets from recent tournaments to inform your 2026 picks.
| Year | Upset Winner | Defeated | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #11 NC State | #1 Maryland | First Round |
| 2024 | #14 Oakland | #3 Kentucky | First Round |
| 2023 | #15 Princeton | #2 Arizona | First Round |
| 2023 | #13 Furman | #4 Virginia | First Round |
| 2022 | #15 Saint Peter's | #2 Kentucky | First Round (went to Elite 8) |
| 2021 | #15 Oral Roberts | #2 Ohio State | First Round |
| 2018 | #16 UMBC | #1 Virginia | First Round (1st ever #16 over #1) |
How to Fill Out Your 2026 Bracket
Pick all #1 seeds to the Final Four
#1 seeds make the Final Four about 40% of the time (10+ appearances per seed historically). All four #1 seeds reaching the Final Four is rare but not impossible — it happened in 2008.
Always pick at least one #12 over #5 upset
#12 vs #5 is one of the most reliable upset matchups. At least one #12 seed has won in 28 of the last 35 tournaments. No bracket is complete without one.
Don't pick more than two #1 seeds in the Championship
Only twice in tournament history have two #1 seeds faced each other in the championship. Picking a #2 or #3 seed as champion gives you a differentiated bracket.
Avoid picking your favorite team too far
Bracket contests are won by correctly predicting late-round games. Picking emotional favorites over statistical favorites is the most common bracket-busting mistake.
Check conference tournament results before finalizing
Teams that won their conference tournament are hot and healthy. Teams that lost early — especially top seeds — may be carrying injuries or fatigue into the NCAA Tournament.
March Madness Bracket 2026 FAQ
When is Selection Sunday 2026?
Selection Sunday 2026 is March 15. The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee reveals the full 68-team bracket at 6 PM ET on CBS. All seeds, regions, and first-round matchups are announced at once.
How does the March Madness bracket work?
The NCAA Tournament uses a single-elimination bracket of 68 teams, organized into 4 regions: South, East, West, and Midwest. Seeds run 1–16 per region (with First Four play-in games to fill the 11 and 16 seed slots). Teams advance until one team wins the National Championship.
What are the Final Four dates in 2026?
The 2026 Final Four is April 4–5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The two national semifinal games are played on April 4 and April 5. The National Championship is April 6 at the same venue.
Where is the 2026 NCAA Championship game?
The 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship Game is at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on Monday, April 6, 2026.
How many teams are in the 2026 NCAA Tournament?
68 teams qualify for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The First Four narrows the field to 64 teams for the main bracket, starting with the Round of 64 on March 19.
What are the 4 regions in the 2026 bracket?
The 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket has 4 regions: South, East, West, and Midwest. Each region has 16 seeds (1–16). The Final Four brings together the winners of all 4 regions at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
When does the Sweet 16 start in 2026?
The 2026 Sweet 16 is March 27–28. Eight games are played over two days, with eight teams advancing to the Elite Eight on March 29–30.
Who won March Madness in 2025?
Florida won the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, defeating Houston in the National Championship Game. It was Florida's third national title. The 2025 Final Four was held in San Antonio, Texas.
Where can I fill out a bracket for free?
You can fill out a free 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket at NCAA.com, ESPN Tournament Challenge, Yahoo Sports Bracket, CBS Sports Bracket Games, and many other sports sites. Brackets open after Selection Sunday on March 15.
What seed has the best record in March Madness history?
The #1 seed has the best record in March Madness history, winning 47% of all national championships. #1 seeds are 153-7 in the first round all-time (a perfect record was broken in 2018 when UMBC upset Virginia). The #2, #3, and #4 seeds also win championships regularly.
Live Scores by Round
Conference Tournament Scores
Conference tournament results feed directly into the March Madness bracket — the winner of each gets an automatic bid.