When does the 2026 college softball season start?

It's almost time for the 2026 college softball season. Texas goes in as the reigning champions after clinching its first-ever national title in 2025.

🏆 Complete college softball championship history | Schools with the most titles

But with new season on deck, there's a blank slate, and now it is anyone's chance to be crowned the new queens of college softball. 

You can find information on when the 2026 college softball season starts here, along with other early season information.

When does the 2026 college softball season start? 

The 2026 season begins with various tournaments and games kicking off across the country on Thursday, Feb. 5 and lasting through that weekend. The NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla. is one of the top showcases to keep an eye on that weekend, featuring 18 different teams battling it out for a chance at the first title of the season.

Here are some of the top games scheduled for the showcase from Thursday, Feb. 5 to Sunday, Feb. 8. 

2026 NFCA Leadoff Classic at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla. 

• Friday, Feb. 6
  • Oregon vs. Missouri | 1 p.m. ET
  • Oregon vs. Clemson | 4 p.m. ET
  • Liberty vs. Tennessee | 4 p.m. ET
  • Liberty vs. Clemson | 7 p.m. ET
• Saturday, Feb. 7 
  • Oregon vs. Liberty | 4 p.m. ET
  • Tennessee vs. Oregon | 7 p.m. ET

Last year, the 2025 NFCA Leadoff Classic featured a red-hot Kentucky team taking home the tournament title after posting a 4-1 record and a 28 tie-breaking run differential amongst other one-loss teams. The showcase featured five teams that appeared in ESPN/USA Softball's final top 25 rankings for the 2025 season, two teams making it to Oklahoma City (Texas Tech and Tennessee).

But wait; there's more. The other showcases across the country have no shortage of big matchups either. 

Below are some of the key games happening between teams in the final 2025 top 25 rankings during the first weekend of action.

• Texas A&M Tournament - Davis Diamond in College Station, Texas
  • Saturday, Feb. 7
    • Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M | 8 p.m. ET 
• UTSA Invitational - Road Runner Field in San Antonio, Texas
  • Friday, Feb. 6
    • Texas vs. Nebraska | 7:05 p.m. ET
  • Saturday, Feb. 7 
    • Texas vs. Nebraska | 4:45 p.m. ET
• Candrea Classic - Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, AZ
  • Friday, Feb. 6
    • Oklahoma vs. Arizona | TBA
  • Saturday, Feb. 7 
    • Oklahoma vs. Arizona | TBA
  • Sunday, Feb. 8
    • Oklahoma vs. Arizona | TBA
• Gamecock Invitational - Beckham Field in Columbia, SC
  • Thursday, Feb. 5
    • South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech | 6 p.m. ET
  • Saturday, Feb. 7
    • South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech | 5:30 p.m. ET
• Stanford Invitational - Stanford Softball Stadium in Stanford, Calif
  • Thursday, Feb. 5
    • Stanford vs. Oklahoma State | 9 p.m. ET
  • Saturday, Feb. 7
    • Stanford vs. Oklahoma State | 6:30 p.m. ET

📈 CHECK OUT: The biggest names out of the transfer portal to watch this season

The action continues a week after opening day back in Clearwater at the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational from Thursday Feb. 12 through Sunday Feb. 15 with 16 of the sport's biggest names. 

Here are just a few of the biggest matchups in the star-studded slate:

Shriner Children's Clearwater Invitational - Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla. 

• Thursday, Feb 12
  • Texas Tech vs. Florida State | 1 p.m. ET
• Friday, Feb 13
  • Tennessee vs. Nebraska | 12 p.m. ET
  • Duke vs. Texas A&M | 1 p.m. ET
• Saturday, Feb 14
  • UCLA vs. Tennessee | 4 p.m. ET
  • Georgia vs. Duke | 4 p.m. ET
  • UCLA vs. Florida State | 7 p.m. ET
• Sunday, Feb 15
  • Texas Tech vs. Nebraska | 6 p.m. ET
  • Tennessee vs. Florida State | 8 p.m. ET

👉 

Finally, while the Women's College World Series is still far away, here's a look at this schedule in OKC:

2026 Women's College World Series schedule

• Thursday, May 28
  • Game 1 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN
  • Game 2 at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN
  • Game 3 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2
  • Game 4 at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2
• Friday, May 29
  • Game 5 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2
  • Game 6 at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2
• Saturday, May 30
  • Game 7 at 3 p.m. on ABC
  • Game 8 at 7 p.m. on ESPN
• Sunday, May 31
  • Game 9 at 3 p.m. on ABC
  • Game 10 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2
• Monday, June 1
  • Game 11 at 12 p.m. on ESPN
  • Game 12 at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN (if necessary)
  • Game 13 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2
  • Game 14 at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2 (if necessary)
• Wednesday, June 3
  • WCWS Finals Game 1 at 8 p.m. on ESPN
• Thursday, June 4
  • WCWS Finals Game 2 at 8 p.m. on ESPN
• Friday, June 5
  • WCWS Finals Game 3 at 8 p.m. on ESPN

👀 LOOK BACK: At the 2025 NCAA DI softball tournament bracket

Future national championship locations and dates