Expansion of the March Madness men's and women's tournament field to more than 68 teams is planned for 2027, while the field will remain at 68 teams in 2026.
The NCAA has announced that it will not expand the men's or women's basketball tournaments beyond 68 teams in 2026 [1][4][5]. However, discussions about potential expansion to 72 or 76 teams will continue with a possible implementation for the 2027 season or later.
According to Dan Gavitt, the NCAA's senior vice president of basketball, the decision not to expand in 2026 is due to logistical challenges such as the tight schedule between the end of conference championships, Selection Sunday, and other event constraints like the Masters golf tournament [1][4].
The current format of the men's tournament includes 68 teams, a change that occurred in 2011, while the women's tournament has had 68 teams since 2022 [5]. The potential expansion aims to reflect the growth in Division I basketball programs (now over 360 schools) and could generate increased TV revenue under recent NCAA rules permitting direct player compensation [5].
Expansion discussions consider adding more at-large bids, particularly from major conferences, which might reduce automatic berths for lower-level conference champions [2]. A formal decision is expected sometime in fall 2025, but expansion for 2026 appears unlikely due to both logistical and stakeholder concerns [3].
Looking ahead, the NCAA committees will continue conversations on whether to recommend expanding the tournament fields to 72 or 76 teams in advance of the 2027 championships [2][3][4][5]. The 2026 men's and women's basketball championships will maintain the current field size of 68 teams.
The future of the NCAA basketball tournaments beyond 2026 remains uncertain, but the potential expansion to 72 or 76 teams is still under consideration [4]. The 2027 NCAA men's Final Four will be held at Ford Field in Detroit, while the women's Final Four will be held in Columbus, Ohio, at Nationwide Arena [6]. The 2026 men's Final Four will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and the women's Final Four will be held in Phoenix at PHX Arena [7].
References:
- ESPN
- Sports Illustrated
- Yahoo Sports
- CBS Sports
- NCAA
- NCAA
- NCAA
Despite the current 68-team format for both the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments being maintained for 2026, discussions about potential expansion to 72 or 76 teams in future seasons, such as 2027, are still ongoing. The growth in Division I basketball programs and the possibility of increased TV revenue are driving factors for this potential expansion.
