NCAA Men's Tournament Bracket 2026 First Four, 1st Round Dates, Times, TV Schedule

One of the most exciting sporting events of the year is finally here.

The field is set for the NCAA tournament following Selection Sunday, and March Madness will begin this week. The tournament will begin with First Four games in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

First round matchups will begin on Thursday, March 19, with the second-round games concluding in March 22.

Here's a look at the slate for the week ahead:

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This year's tournament is headline by some elite teams like Duke, Michigan, Arizona and others.

Those three teams finished the regular season with just two losses each and plowed through their respective conference opponents.

Duke has arguably been the most impressive squad, as its two losses were by a combined four points. Future lottery pick Cameron Boozer headlines the roster with his 22.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, and he'll look to lead the Blue Devils to a national title like his father did in 2001.

Michigan, led by second-year head coach Dusty May, put together its best regular season in program history this year and is now looking to win its first national championship since 1989.

Arizona has been knocking on the door of being a national contender for the last few years under Tommy Lloyd, but this year feels like the year the Wildcats could finally get over the hump and make a Final Four run.

Defending national champion Florida had some hiccups early in the season, but finished the regular season 16-2 after a 9-5 start. It's safe to say the Gators are getting hot at the right time, so another deep run is certainly on the table.

As good as the top half of the bracket is, it's impossible to count out some of the lower seeds looking to pull off upsets.

Miami (OH) finished the regular season undefeated, a feat that's impressive no matter the conference. While the RedHawks faced an upset in the MAC tournament, they could be a safe pick to pull off an upset if they make it out of their First Four matchup.

Saint Louis has also been impressive all year, wiping the floor with most of its A-10 competition, and the Billikens are now seeking their first NCAA tournament win since 2014.