How the 2027 expanded NCAA tournament and March Madness brackets will work

The 2027 NCAA DI basketball tournaments for both the men and women will look different from recent tournaments.

Starting with the 2026-27 college basketball season, the fields for the March Madness men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will expand from 68 to 76 teams.

We don’t have specifics on game times and networks, but here’s what we know.

What’s new for 2027

• There will be 76 teams in the tournament, up from 68
• There will be 12 games before the 64-team bracket. Previously, in the First Four, there were eight teams playing four games

How the opening round will work

There will be 24 teams matching up in 12 games, played over two days before the first round — six games each day. On the men’s side, games will be Tuesday, March 16 and Wednesday, March 17. In the women’s tournament, the games will be on Wednesday, March 17 and Thursday, March 18. The 12 men’s games will be played in Dayton, Ohio and a second site to be announced later. The 12 women’s games will be held at 12 campus sites.

How the opening round format will work

The 24 teams will be broken down as following:

• 12 lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers
• 12 lowest-seeded at-large selections

After the opening round, the field of 64 will be set and will operate as a single-elimination tournament through the national title game.

There will be no crossover matchups, meaning AQs will play AQs and at-large teams will play at-large teams.

2027 NCAA men’s basketball tournament schedule

Selection Sunday

• Sunday, March 14

Opening round

• Tuesday, March 16 and Wednesday, March 17
  • Dayton, Ohio and a second site to be announced

First round

• Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Fort Worth, Texas
  • Louisville, Kentucky
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Omaha, Nebraska
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Sacramento, California
  • Spokane, Washington

Second round

• Saturday, March 20 and Sunday, March 21
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Fort Worth, Texas
  • Louisville, Kentucky
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Omaha, Nebraska
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Sacramento, California
  • Spokane, Washington

Sweet 16

• Thursday, March 25 and Friday, March 26
  • South Regional (San Antonio, Texas)
  • West Regional (Los Angeles, California)
  • Midwest Regional (Kansas City, Missouri)
  • East Regional (New York, New York)

Elite Eight

• Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28
  • South Regional (San Antonio, Texas)
  • West Regional (Los Angeles, California)
  • Midwest Regional (Kansas City, Missouri)
  • East Regional (New York, New York)

Final Four

• Saturday, April 3
  • Ford Field (Detroit, Michigan)

National Championship Game

• Monday, April 5
  • Ford Field (Detroit, Michigan)

2027 NCAA women’s basketball tournament schedule

• Selection Sunday
  • Sunday, March 14

Opening round

• Wednesday, March 17 and Thursday, March 18
  • Campus sites

First round

• Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20
  • Campus sites

Second round

• Sunday, March 21 and Monday, March 22
  • Campus sites

Sweet 16

• Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27
  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Las Vegas, Nevada

Elite Eight

• Sunday, March 28 and Monday, March 29
  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Las Vegas, Nevada

Final Four

• Friday, April 2
  • Nationwide Arena (Columbus, Ohio)

National Championship Game

• Sunday, April 4
  • Nationwide Arena (Columbus, Ohio)