The NCAA has officially approved the expansion of both the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments from 68 teams to 76 teams beginning with the upcoming 2026 season. The historic change marks one of the biggest updates to March Madness in years and is expected to reshape the postseason landscape for college basketball programs across the country.
NCAA Tournament Expansion Officially Approved
After years of discussions and financial negotiations, the NCAA confirmed Thursday that both tournaments will now include 76 teams. The expanded format will debut during the 2026 March Madness tournaments for both men’s and women’s basketball.
The expansion comes alongside a new financial agreement involving CBS and TNT, which manage sponsorship sales for NCAA championships and hold media rights for the men’s tournament. Under the updated deal, the networks will provide the NCAA with an additional $50 million annually through 2032.
As part of the agreement, the NCAA will now allow sponsorship categories that were previously restricted, including beer, wine, spirits, and hard seltzer brands.
According to the NCAA, the additional revenue will help offset operational expenses while continuing to support the organization’s “units” payout system, which distributes tournament revenue to participating conferences and schools.
NCAA Says Expansion Will Benefit Student-Athletes
In a statement, the NCAA said the projected surplus from the new sponsorship agreement will primarily be invested back into the basketball tournaments and overall championship experience.
The governing body estimates the expanded tournament format will generate approximately $130 million in additional payouts over the next six years.
The NCAA had explored expansion for several years, but previous negotiations stalled because existing television contracts with CBS, TNT, and ESPN did not require networks to pay extra for additional games during the current media-rights cycle, which runs through 2032.
The revised sponsorship arrangement ultimately helped all parties finalize the expansion plan.
“March Madness Opening Round” Replaces the First Four
One of the most noticeable changes will be the rebranding of the opening play-in games.
The NCAA will retire the “First Four” name and introduce the new “March Madness Opening Round.”
Under the expanded format, both the men’s and women’s tournaments will feature 12 opening-round games across the first two days of competition.
Men’s Tournament Opening Round Locations
For the men’s tournament:
- Three games per day will continue to be played in Dayton, the longtime home of the First Four
- Six additional games will take place at another site that has not yet been announced
Women’s Tournament Opening Round Format
For the women’s tournament:
- Opening-round games will be hosted on the campuses of 12 of the top 16 seeded teams
NCAA Tournament Schedule Remains Mostly Unchanged
While the field is expanding, the overall tournament calendar will remain largely the same.
- The men’s tournament will still begin on the Tuesday after Selection Sunday
- The women’s tournament will still tip off on the Wednesday after Selection Sunday
- The remainder of both tournament schedules will continue under the traditional format
What NCAA Tournament Expansion Means for College Basketball
The move to 76 teams creates additional opportunities for bubble teams to reach March Madness while also increasing revenue opportunities for schools, conferences, broadcasters, and sponsors.
With more games, more teams, and additional revenue streams, the NCAA is betting that the expanded format will further grow the popularity and financial success of college basketball’s premier postseason event heading into the next decade.