March Madness 2026: How to watch today’s NCAA men's basketball tournament games live — Full schedule, TV channels & streaming guide

March Madness is set to kick off. The men's NCAA tournament began with the First Four, and now the opening round is ready to start. Today’s lineup includes Duke vs. Siena, North Carolina vs. VCU, Michigan State vs. North Dakota State, among others

The 2026 edition of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is currently underway, with the opening round presenting a busy slate of matchups across two days. From top-ranked favorites to possible surprise contenders, the competition promises nonstop intensity as teams fight to secure a place in the next stage.

Tournament Dates, Channels & Streaming

• Dates: March 17 – April 6, 2026
  
• TV Channels: CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV
  
• Streaming: Paramount+, DirecTV, Fubo, Sling TV and more
  

Just like past years, both the men’s and women’s tournaments are spread across several broadcasters, making it significant for audiences to know where to watch.

Thursday, March 19 (All times ET)

• 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 (TNT)
  
• 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 (All times ET)

• 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)
  
  
  

How to Watch Without Cable

If you don’t have traditional cable, several convenient streaming options are available:

• Paramount+ Premium: Needed for CBS matchups, with added access to live sports and entertainment shows
  
• HBO Max Standard: Streams TNT, TBS and TruTV games
  
• Live TV services: DirecTV, Fubo, Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV
  

Many of these platforms provide free trials or promotional pricing, making it simple to catch early-round matches without long-term commitments.

What to Expect Today

The tournament will start with 16 games on March 19 in four venues, marking the beginning of the Round of 64 after the First Four narrowed the field. By the end of the day, half of the teams will be eliminated.

Top contenders such as Duke and Michigan headline the action, while conferences like the Big Ten are strongly represented with multiple teams in play. Meanwhile, previous year’s runner-up Houston will close out the day’s schedule.

Star players like Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Darius Acuff, and Yaxel Lendeborg are also anticipated to shine, adding to the excitement of opening-round games.

FAQs:

Q1. What is March Madness?
March Madness is the annual NCAA men’s college basketball tournament. It features 68 teams competing in a knockout format.

Q2. When does the 2026 tournament take place?
The tournament runs from March 17 to April 6, 2026. It begins with the First Four and ends with the championship game.