March Madness 2026: How to Watch Selection Sunday Without Cable

Check out DirecTV

It hosts all the March Madness channels

DirecTV MySports package

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Teams have been selected for both the men’s and women’s 2026 March Madness tournaments, so it’s time for the games to begin! With so many events airing on multiple channels and streaming services, we’re here to help you find the best ways to watch them all March Madnessand luckily, there are a few that don’t require you to ditch the entire streaming service.

Whether you want to watch through an antenna, through a live TV streaming service or on the NCAA’s site or app, you can tune in to games every day without signing up for a bunch of different, often expensive, services. Here’s what you need to know to get through March Madness this year without breaking the bank.

When does March Madness 2026 start?

March Madness 2026 officially begins on March 17 with the first four men’s games. The women’s First Four will begin on March 18. The entire tournament will wrap up in early April.

How to watch March Madness 2026 for free

The NCAA’s March Madness Live site and the March Madness Live app are great options for watching the games for free. You can watch the match-ups on iOS and Android devices as well as Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and Xbox, but you’ll need to sign in with a valid TV provider login.

You can also connect the indoor antenna on your TV and watch games broadcast on ABC and CBS. Our expert comparison of excellent antennas can help you find the one that’s right for you, and our top picks come in at $40. Want to watch March Madness with no strings attached? Try a free trial of a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV, which comes with a free trial.

How to watch March Madness live without cable

Women’s March Madness games will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews. The women’s championship final will be broadcast on ABC and streamed on ESPN Unlimited. The men’s games will air on TruTV, CBS, TNT and TBS.

ESPN Unlimited is a full independent streaming service from ESPN. For $30 a month, you can watch every March Madness women’s game all in one place. Read our ESPN Unlimited review.

You’ll be able to watch select games from the First Round through the Elite Eight live on CBS, which airs on Paramount Plus Premium for $14 a month.

With HBO Max, you can stream 46 games in the men’s March Madness tournament, including the Final Four and the Championship Final. With HBO Max multi-viewing experience, you can stream up to three shows simultaneously. Live shows are only available on HBO Max Standard ($18.50 per month) and Premium ($23 per month) plans.

Watch March Madness for free with a live TV streaming service

There are several live television streaming services where you can watch most or all of the men’s and women’s tournaments in one place, and many of them offer a free trial that will give you access to most, if not all, of the 2026 March Madness tournament.

If you’re a new YouTube TV subscriber, you can try their service for 21 days before committing or paying a dime, which will give you access to the entire 2026 tournament. DirecTV and Hulu Plus Live TV both feature all the channels you need to watch live coverage of the men’s and women’s tournaments, although their trials are much shorter: five days and three days, respectively.

While Fubo carries tons of major sporting events and includes access to ESPN Unlimited, it doesn’t carry TBS, TNT or TruTV, making it a very poor option for watching the men’s championship. If you’d like to watch the women’s tournament, free trials range from 5 to 7 days.

YouTube TV costs $83 per month and includes TBS, TNT, TruTV and CBS for men’s sports and ESPN channels for women’s sports. You can sign up for YouTube TV and get your first two months for $60 per month, and there’s a 21-day free trial. Not all local channels are available in all markets, so you will need to make sure that the networks broadcasting the 2026 tournament are available in your area. Plug in your ZIP code to its welcome page to see what local networks you get. Read our YouTube TV review.

The basic Hulu Plus Live TV plan costs $90 per month, and includes all the channels you need to watch both March Madness tournaments. On its live news page, you can enter your ZIP code under “Can I watch local news in my area?” query at the bottom of the page to see what local stations you are receiving. You can get a free three-day trial of Hulu Plus Live TV before signing up. Read our Hulu Plus Live TV review.

The DirecTV MySports package costs $70 per month. It includes ABC, CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV and ESPN Unlimited, as one of the most complete places to watch every March Madness game. Use the channel locator tool to see what local channels are available where you live, and get five days free with no strings attached before you sign up. Read our DirecTV MySports review.

the Fubo Pro plan costs $74 per month and includes ABC, CBS and access to ESPN Unlimited. Fubo offers the first month for $49 after its free trial. Its least expensive Fubo Sports package costs $46 for the first month after a free trial and gives you access to CBS, ABC and ESPN Unlimited. Click here to see what local channels you receive. While Fubo is a great way to watch the women’s tournament, the service doesn’t carry TBS, TNT or truTV, which you’ll need to watch most of the men’s games. Read our Fubo review.

For more, check out our guide to live TV streaming services and our recommendations for the best sports streaming services.

March Madness tournament schedule

Here are the complete schedules for the men’s and women’s tournaments:

March Madness men’s tournament schedule

• Fourth First: March 17-18
• First Round: March 19-20
• Second round: March 21-22
• Sweet 16: March 26-27
• Elite Eight: March 28-29
• Final Four: April 4
• NCAA championship game: Monday, April 6, at 8:30 pm ET (TBS)

Women’s March Madness tournament schedule

• Fourth First: March 18-19
• First round: March 20-21
• Second round: March 22-23
• Sweet 16: March 27-28
• Elite Eight: March 29-30
• Final Four: April 3 at 7 pm ET (The second semifinal begins 30 minutes after the end of the first game.)
• NCAA championship game: Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 pm ET (ABC)

March Madness men’s game-by-game schedule

All Eastern times.

Fourth First:

Tuesday, March 17

• 6:40 pm: No. 16 UMBC vs. No. 16 Howard (TruTV)
• 9:10 pm: No. 11 Texas vs. No. 11 NC State (TruTV)

Wednesday, March 18

• 6:40 pm: No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs. No. 16 Lehigh (TruTV)
• 9:10 pm: No. 11 Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 11 SMU (TruTV)

First Round:

Thursday, March 19

• 12:15 pm: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU (CBS)
• 12:40 pm: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy (TruTV)
• 1:30 pm: No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida (TNT)
• 1:50 pm: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point (TBS)
• 2:50 pm: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena (CBS)
• 3:15 pm: No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese (TruTV)
• 4:05 pm: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State
• 4:25 pm: No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii (TBS)
• 6:50 pm: No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU (TNT)
• 7:10 pm: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 UMBC or Howard (CBS)
• 7:25 pm: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas or NC State (TBS)
• 7:35 pm: No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Texas A&M (TruTV)
• 9:25 pm: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn (TNT)
• 9:45 pm: No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis (CBS)
• 10 pm: No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State (TBS)
• 10:10 pm: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho (TruTV)

Friday, March 20

• 12:15 pm: No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara (CBS)
• 12:40 pm: No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 12 Akron (TruTV)
• 1:35 pm: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 LIU (TNT)
• 1:50 pm: No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State (TBS)
• 2:50 pm: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State (CBS)
• 3:15 pm: No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra (TruTV)
• 4:10 pm: No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State (TNT)
• 4:25 pm: No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio) or SMU (TBS)
• 6:50 pm: No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa (TNT)
• 7:10 pm: No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa (CBS)
• 7:25 pm: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF (TBS)
• 7:35 pm: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens (TruTV)
• 9:25 pm: No. 16 Prairie View A&M or Lehigh vs. No. 1 Florida (TNT)
• 9:45 pm: No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist (CBS)
• 10 pm: No. 2 Conn vs. No. 15 Furman (TBS)
• 10:10 pm: No. 7 Miami vs. No. 10 Missouri (TruTV)

March Madness women’s game-by-game schedule

All Eastern times.

Fourth First:

Wednesday, March 18

Thursday, March 19

First Round:

Friday, March 20

• 11:30 am: No. 3 Duke vs. No. 14 Charleston (ESPN2)
• 12 pm: No. 3 TCU vs. No. 14 UC San Diego (ESPN)
• 1:30 pm ET: No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Virginia Tech (ESPN2)
• 2pm: No. 6 Baylor vs. No. 11 Nebraska/Richmond (ESPN)
• 2:30 pm: No. 6 Washington vs. No. 11 South Dakota State (ESPN News)
• 3pm: No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 12 Murray State (ESPNU)
• 3:30 pm: No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Gonzaga (ESPN2)
• 4 pm: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 Stephen F. Austin/Missouri State (ESPN)
• 5:30 pm: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Holy Cross (ESPN2)
• 5:30 pm: No. 4 North Carolina vs. No. 13 Western Illinois (ESPN News)
• 6pm: No. 2 LSU vs. No. 15 Jacksonville (ESPN)
• 6pm: No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Green Bay (ESPNU)
• 7:30 pm: No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Colorado State (ESPN News)
• 8pm: No. 7 NC State vs. No. 10 Tennessee (ESPN)
• 8:30 pm: No. 7 Texas Tech vs. No. 10 Villanova (ESPNU)
• 10 pm: No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Idaho (ESPN)

Saturday, March 21

• 11:30 pm: No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 14 Howard (ESPN2)
• 12 pm: No. 3 Louisville vs. No. 14 Vermont (ESPN)
• 1pm: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Samford/Southern (ABC)
• 1:30 pm: No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 10 Virginia/Arizona State (ESPN2)
• 2pm: No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 11 Fairfield (ESPN)
• 2:30 pm: No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 12 James Madison (ESPNU)
• 2:30 pm: No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Rhode Island (ESPN News)
• 3pm: No. 1 Conn vs. No. 16 UTSA (ABC)
• 3:30 pm: No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 USC (ESPN2)
• 4 pm: No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson (ESPN)
• 5 pm: No. 4 West Virginia vs. No. 13 Miami (Ohio) (ESPNU)
• 5:30 pm: No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 Syracuse (ESPN2)
• 7 pm: No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 High Point (ESPN News)
• 7:30 pm: No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. No. 9 Princeton (ESPN2)
• 9:30 pm: No. 7 Illinois vs. No. 10 Colorado (ESPN2)
• 10 pm: No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 California Baptist (ESPN)