Teams have been selected for both the men’s and women’s 2026 March Madness tournament, so it’s time for the games to begin! With so many events airing across multiple channels and streaming services, we’re here to help you figure out the best ways to watch all of March Madness, and luckily, there are a few that don’t require you to shell out for every single streaming service.
Whether you want to watch with an antenna, through a live TV streaming service or on the NCAA site or app, you can tune into games daily without subscribing to a bunch of different, often costly, services. Here’s what you need to know to tune in to March Madness this year without breaking the bank.
When does March Madness 2026 start?
March Madness 2026 officially begins on March 17 with the men’s First Four games. The women’s First Four will begin on March 18. The entire tournament will wrap up in early April.
How to watch March Madness 2026 for free
The NCAA’s March Madness Live site and March Madness Live app are great options to watch games for free. You can watch match-ups on iOS and Android devices along with Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and Xbox, but you will have to sign in with a valid TV provider login.
You can also connect an indoor antenna to your TV and watch games broadcast on ABC and CBS. Our expert comparison of the best antennas can help you find the one that’s right for you, and our top pick comes in at $40. Want to watch March Madness with no 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 air across ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews. The women’s championship final will be broadcast on ABC and stream on ESPN Unlimited. Men’s games will air on TruTV, CBS, TNT and TBS.
Watch March Madness for free with a live TV streaming service
There are a few live TV streaming services where you can watch most or all of the men’s and women’s tournaments all in one place, and many of them offer a generous free trial that will get you access to much, or even all of the 2026 March Madness tournament.
If you’re a new subscriber to YouTube TV, you can try their service for 21 days before committing or paying a dime, which will get you access to the entire 2026 tournament. DirecTV and Hulu Plus Live TV both feature every channel you need to watch live broadcasts of the men’s and women’s tournaments, though their trials are much shorter: five days and three days, respectively.
While Fubo carries tons of major sporting events and even 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’re interested to watch the women’s tournament, free trials range from 5 to 7 days.
For more, check out our live TV streaming services guide and our recommendations for the best sports streaming services.
March Madness tournament schedule
Here are the complete schedules for the men’s and women’s tournaments:
Men’s March Madness tournament schedule
- 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, at 8:30 p.m. ET (TBS)
Women’s March Madness tournament schedule
- 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 (Second semifinal starts 30 minutes after the first game ends.)
- NCAA championship game: Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
March Madness men’s individual game schedule
All times Eastern.
First Four:
Tuesday, March 17
- 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, March 18
- 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, March 19
- 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 Penn (TNT)
- 9:45 p.m.: No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint 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 State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State (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 or 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 individual game schedule
All times Eastern.
First Four:
Wednesday, March 18
- 7 p.m.: No. 11 Nebraska vs. No. 11 Richmond (ESPN2)
-
9 p.m.: No. 16 Stephen F. Austin vs. No. 16 Missouri State (ESPN2)
Thursday, March 19
- 7 p.m.: No. 16 Samford vs. No. 16 Southern (ESPN2)
-
9 p.m.: No. 10 Virginia vs. No. 10 Arizona State (ESPN2)
First Round:
Friday, March 20
- 11:30 a.m.: No. 3 Duke vs. No. 14 Charleston (ESPN2)
- 12 p.m.: No. 3 TCU vs. No. 14 UC San Diego (ESPN)
- 1:30 p.m. 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, March 21
- 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)
