When to watch the selection on Sunday
- Sunday, March 15 at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT) for men
- Sunday, March 15 at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) for women
Where to watch
- The male selection show is on Paramount Plus Premium
- The women’s selection show is on ESPN
Watch on YouTube TV
Offers TBS, TNT, truTV, CBS, ABC and ESPN for $60 per month
YouTube TV
Watch on DirecTV Stream
Offers all the channels you need to watch March Madness for $70 per month
DirecTV MySports Basic Pack
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 won the women’s title, and both teams once again appear poised to make a splash in their respective 2026 NCAA tournaments. But before we can start speculating about who will win it all this year, we need to find out which teams will play in March Madness, and it will all come down to selection on Sunday, when the top 68 teams in the men’s and women’s leagues are 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 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT, and the women’s show will air on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. If you want matches, the First Four will kick off both tournaments on March 17 (men) and March 18 (women); 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 find the best ways to watch or stream all of March Madness. Here’s what you need to know.
When is Selection Sunday?
Selection Sunday is March 15, 2026.
How to watch the selection on Sunday
March Madness kicks off with the Selection Show, where the teams that participated in the tournament are announced. With all major college basketball conference championships ending on or before March 15, that’s the day we’ll find out which 68 teams will compete in the men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments. This year’s selection show for the men’s tournament airs Sunday, March 15 at 6 p.m. ET on CBS and streams on Paramount Plus Premium. You can also catch the women’s selection show this Sunday night at 8 p.m. 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 Four will begin on March 18.
How to watch March Madness
Women’s March Madness games will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews. The women’s championship final will be broadcast on ABC and broadcast on ESPN Unlimited.
ESPN Unlimited is ESPN’s full-featured, standalone streaming service. For $30/month, you can watch every women’s March Madness game in one place.
Read our review of ESPN Unlimited.
The Men’s March Madness games will be split between TNT, TBS, truTV and CBS.
You’ll be able to watch select matches from the first round at Elite Eight live on CBS, streaming on Paramount Plus Premium for $14 per month.
HBO Max
Watch men’s games on HBO Max for $18.49 per month
With HBO Max, you can stream 46 games from the March Madness men’s tournament, including the Final Four and Championship Finals. And with HBO Max’s Multiview experience, you can stream up to three games simultaneously. Live sports are only available on HBO Max’s Standard ($18.49 per month) and Premium ($22.99 per month) plans.
Watch March Madness with a live TV streaming service
Don’t want to subscribe to multiple streaming services to watch March Madness? It’s understandable. Luckily, there are a few live TV streaming services where you can watch most or all of the men’s and women’s tournaments in one place.
Men’s games will be broadcast on TBS, TNT, truTV and CBS, and women’s games will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews. With a subscription to YouTube TV, DirecTV, or Hulu with Live TV, you can watch all the channels that broadcast the men’s and women’s tournaments. (Unfortunately, while Fubo is still great for watching tons of major sporting events and even includes access to ESPN Unlimited, it doesn’t offer TBS, TNT, or truTV, making it a less ideal option for watching the men’s tournament.)
YouTube TV costs $83/month and includes TBS, TNT, truTV and CBS for the men’s tournament and the ESPN suite of channels for the women’s tournament. Right now, you can sign up for YouTube TV and get your first two months for $60/month, and there’s a 21-day free trial.
Not all local channels are available in all markets, so you’ll need to make sure the networks showing the 2026 tournament are offered in your area. Plug your zip code into its home page to see what local networks you get.
Read our YouTube TV review.
Hulu with Live TV costs the same monthly price as YouTube TV and has all the channels you need to watch both March Madness tournaments. On its live news page, you can enter your zip code under “Can I watch local news in my area?” » question at the bottom of the page to see which local channels you receive.
Read our Hulu with Live TV review.
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 the channel finder to see what local channels are available where you live.
Read our DirecTV Stream review.
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 receive. While 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 games.
Read our Fubo review.
To learn more, check out our guide to live TV streaming services and our recommendations for the best sports streaming services.
How to watch March Madness 2026 for free
The NCAA’s March Madness Live site and the March Madness Live app 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, but you will must log in with a valid TV provider ID.
You can also use an indoor antenna connected to your TV to watch games broadcast on ABC and CBS. Our indoor antenna comparison can help you find the right one for you, and our top pick comes in at $40.
Want to watch March Madness with no strings attached? One of the best ways we know to watch the men’s and women’s tournaments is to sign up for YouTube TV’s 21-day free trial, which will last long enough for you to see every match.
March Madness tournament schedule
Here are the full schedules for the men’s and women’s tournaments:
Calendar of the March Madness of Men
- Selection Sunday: March 15, 2026
- 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, 8:30 p.m. ET (TBS)
Calendar of the Women’s March Madness
- Selection Sunday: March 15 on ESPN
- 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 7 p.m. (the second semi-final begins 30 minutes after the end of the first match.)
- NCAA Championship Game: Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
