The 2026 NCAA March Madness tournaments for both men and women are fast approaching, with the First Four kicking off the action on March 17th for the men and March 18th for the women. If you’ve cut the cord but don’t want to miss a single game, here’s a breakdown of how and where to watch every matchup.
Men’s Tournament: Where to Tune In
The men’s First Four will be exclusively broadcast on TruTV and streamed through HBO Max. The rest of the men’s tournament games will be split between TNT, TBS, truTV, and CBS.
- HBO Max: Streams all 46 men’s tournament games, including the Final Four and Championship. Offers a multiview feature for watching up to three games simultaneously on Standard ($18.50/month) and Premium ($23/month) plans.
- Paramount Plus Premium ($14/month): Select games will be broadcast on CBS and streamed through Paramount Plus Premium.
Women’s Tournament: Your Viewing Options
The women’s First Four will air on ESPN2 and stream via ESPN Unlimited. The rest of the tournament games will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPNews.
- ESPN Unlimited ($30/month): The dedicated streaming service for all women’s March Madness games.
Live TV Streaming Services: The All-in-One Solution
For comprehensive coverage without multiple subscriptions, several live TV streaming services carry the necessary channels.
- YouTube TV ($83/month): Includes TBS, TNT, truTV, CBS (for men) and ESPN’s suite of channels (for women). Offers a free trial and potential discounts for new subscribers.
- Hulu + Live TV ($90/month): Carries all channels required for both tournaments. Verify local channel availability using their ZIP code tool.
- DirecTV MySports ($70/month): Offers ABC, CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV, and ESPN Unlimited, making it a strong contender for full coverage.
- Fubo ($46 for the first month): Provides ABC, CBS, and ESPN Unlimited, but lacks TNT, TBS, and truTV, which may exclude some men’s tournament games.
Tournament Schedules at a Glance
Men’s 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
- National Championship: April 6, 8:30 PM ET (TBS)
Women’s 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 PM ET
- NCAA Championship Game: April 5 at 3:30 PM ET (ABC)
The 2026 March Madness tournaments promise intense competition and unforgettable moments. With the right streaming setup, you can enjoy every thrilling game without being tied to traditional cable.
