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Dates, Locations for 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

It's never too early to start preparing for March Madness. Here is a look at the dates and locations for the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
Dustin Schutte|
The March Madness logo at Climate Pledge Arena during the Memphis Tigers practice
The March Madness logo at Climate Pledge Arena during the Memphis Tigers practice | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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Purdue BoilermakersIndiana HoosiersNorthwestern WildcatsRutgers Scarlet Knights

It's never too early to start preparing for March Madness. With this year's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament coming to an end, why not start looking ahead to next year's event? It may be a full year away, but it'll be here quicker than you think.

For those potentially planning on attending next year's tournament — or if you're just looking to start scheduling your sick days well in advance — we've provided the list of dates and locations for next year's tournament.

Action will begin on Tuesday, March 17 with the First Four games in Dayton and conclude on Monday, April 6 with the National Championship Game in Indianapolis. Here's the full rundown of the NCAA Tournament schedule for 2026.

First Four

March 17 & 18

  • UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio

First and second rounds

March 19 & 21

  • KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
  • Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
  • Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
  • Moda Center in Portland, Ore.

March 20 & 22

  • Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.
  • Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa.
  • Viejas Arena in San Diego, Calif.
  • Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo.

Regional rounds (Sweet 16 & Elite Eight)

March 26 & 28

  • Toyota Center in Houston, Texas (South Regional)
  • SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. (West Regional)

March 27 & 29

  • United Center in Chicago, Ill. (Midwest Regional)
  • Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (East Regional)

Final Four & National Championship

April 4 & 6

  • Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.

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2025 TOURNAMENT TRACKER: Sixty-eight teams will get their names called Sunday when the brackets are set for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Here is the complete schedule, with dates, game times, TV information and more. Bookmark it and we'll keep it updated in real time all the way through to the Final Four in San Antonio. CLICK HERE

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Dustin Schutte
DUSTIN SCHUTTE

Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.

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