Like last year, both March Madness tournaments (men’s and women’s) are spread across a variety of channels, so if you’re looking for how to watch March Madness, Yahoo Sports has you covered. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the NCAA men’s basketball tournament live this weekend, from first-round games to the championship.
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How to watch the 2026 men’s March Madness
Dates: March 17 – April 6
Television channels: CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV
Transmission: Paramount+, DirecTV and more
NCAA Men’s Tournament Schedule:
Saturday April 4 (Final Four)
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No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Illinois: 6:09 p.m. (TBS/TNT/truTV)
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No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 1 Arizona: 8:49 p.m. (TBS/TNT/truTV)
Monday, April 6 (National Championship)
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UConn/Illinois vs. Michigan/Arizona: 8:50 p.m. (TBS/TNT/truTV)
What channel will March Madness be broadcast on in 2026?
NCAA men’s tournament games will air on CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV. The NCAA women’s tournament will be broadcast across the ESPN suite: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews and ABC.
Don’t have cable? Don’t worry. You can easily stream the men’s games with a subscription to Paramount+ Premium and HBO Max Standard, or a live TV streaming service like DirecTV, Fubo, or Sling. The women’s games will be accessible through a subscription to ESPN Unlimited (or any live TV streaming service that includes the ESPN suite).
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How to watch March Madness games live without cable
DirecTV currently offers its Choice tier (normally $115+/mo with fees) for just $80 (after fees) for the first month ($105/mo for the next two months).
DirecTV’s Choice tier gives you access to tons of sports channels, including ESPN, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, and many local regional sports networks. Plus, you’ll have access to ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox.
Whichever package you choose, you’ll get unlimited Cloud DVR storage and access to ESPN’s new streaming tier, ESPN Unlimited.
The best part is that you can currently try all of this for free for five days. If you’re interested in trying a live TV streaming service for the start of March Madness but aren’t ready to commit, we recommend starting with DirecTV.
Paramount+ offers subscribers access to a host of sports, including some March Madness games, the NFL, football, and more. Plus, you get access to great programs like Survivor, The challenge and others.
There are two levels of Paramount+ to choose from: the ad-supported Essential plan or its ad-free Premium plan, which also gives you ad-free on-demand streaming, live access to your local CBS station, and full access to Showtime.
You will need the Paramount+ Premium tier to watch March Madness games. Luckily, right now, Paramount+ has a deal: get any plan of your choice for $2.99 ​​a month for the first two months. That means you can watch March Madness games live on CBS throughout the tournament for just $6.
When does March Madness end?
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament concludes with the championship game on Monday, April 6, 2026.
Key dates for the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament
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Selection Sunday: 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 15 on CBS
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First four: Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18
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First round: Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20
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Second round: Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22
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Sweet 16: Thursday, March 26 and Friday, March 27
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Elite eight: Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29
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Final four: Saturday, April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
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NCAA Championship Game: Monday, April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis