2026 NCAA Tournament Kicks Off with First Four Games
2026 NCAA Tournament Kicks Off with First Four Games
The 2026 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, affectionately known as March Madness, has officially begun.
The action kicked off with the First Four games on March 17 and 18, 2026, at the historic UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio.
Known as the epicenter of college basketball, UD Arena serves as the traditional host for these opening contests.
The First Four features eight teams—comprising the lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and at-large selections—competing for the final spots in the main 64-team bracket.
Following Selection Sunday on March 15, these games provide the initial drama of the tournament.
The journey concludes at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, where the Final Four and the national championship game are scheduled for early April.
As the field is finalized, the intensity of March Madness only continues to grow, setting the stage for an unforgettable path to the Division I championship title.
