NCAA Softball Championships 2026 Dates, TV Schedule, Times, Bracket and More

Eight teams enter Oklahoma City with the dream of becoming the 2026 NCAA softball champion.

The Texas Longhorns will have a chance to defend their 2025 crown and become the second straight repeat winner of the Women's College World Series.

Texas is one of the perennial powers in the eight-team field along with the Alabama Crimson Tide, UCLA Bruins and Tennessee Volunteers.

The double-elimination WCWS begins on Thursday with four opening-round contests.

The full schedule can be found here on NCAA.com.

Women's College World Series Bracket

No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 8 UCLA

No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Arkansas

No. 11 Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State'

No. 2 Texas vs. No. 7 Tennessee

Preview

The WCWS has a double-elimination format with four teams split into two different sides of the bracket.

Alabama, UCLA, Nebraska and Arkansas reside on the top half. Texas Tech, Mississippi State, Texas and Tennessee are on the bottom.

Texas is the favorite to come out of its bracket given its title-winning experience from a year ago.

The top half is far more competitive with the top offense in UCLA, an incredible Alabama pitching staff and Nebraska with one of the best players in the sport in Jordyn Frahm.

Arkansas and Mississippi State are viewed as the two long-shots to win the title out of the eight-team field.

The pair of SEC programs are making their first-ever WCWS appearances and could be viewed as the worst teams on paper in their respective brackets.

Runs could come at a premium throughout the entire tournament. Seven of the participants rank in the top 15 in team ERA.

The winners from each half of the bracket will meet in a three-game championship series set to begin on June 3.