The wait is over for college hoops fans. Selection Sunday arrives on March 15, 2026, marking the official start of the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments. As major conference battles like the Phillips 66 Big 12 and the Big East tournaments crown their champions, the national focus shifts to the brackets that will dominate office pools and social media for the next three weeks.

The Men's Tournament hits the ground running with the First Four games on March 17 and 18, 2026, hosted at the UD Arena. Following that high-stakes opening, the first round officially tips off on March 19 and 20. Fans can catch the broadcast action across CBS and TNT Sports, as Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount continue their long-standing media partnership for the Men's Championship.

The Women's Tournament begins its First Four round on March 18 and 19, 2026, following the same Selection Sunday reveal. This year's road to the title includes high-profile regional games scheduled at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Schools like the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) are already prepping for the frenzy, with official Selection Sunday watch parties scheduled for March 15 to celebrate their potential tournament bids.