You've felt that mid-March buzz before. It’s that specific kind of electricity that only happens when a bracket gets busted by a double-digit seed in the first round. But honestly, while the early upsets are great for the drama, the real stakes don't hit until the Final Four. By then, the chaos has been filtered down to the absolute elite. If you’re trying to figure out your schedule for the 2026 tournament, you're basically looking at two cities: Indianapolis and Phoenix.
Indianapolis is the "Home of the NCAA" for a reason. They’ve got this down to a science. In 2026, the men are taking over Lucas Oil Stadium, and for the first time ever, the city is also hosting the Division II and Division III championships, plus the NIT, all in the same window. It’s going to be absolute basketball sensory overload.
When to Watch: The 2026 Men's Times for Final Four Games
The schedule for the Men’s Final Four follows that classic Saturday-Monday rhythm we’ve all grown to love (or hate, if you have to work early Tuesday). For 2026, the dates are locked in for Saturday, April 4, and Monday, April 6.
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Here is the breakdown of the times for final four games on the men's side:
- National Semifinals (Saturday, April 4): The first game is scheduled to tip off at 6:00 p.m. ET. Once that wraps up and the floor is cleared, the second semifinal should begin around 8:30 p.m. ET.
- National Championship (Monday, April 6): The big one. The title game is set for an 8:30 p.m. ET tip-off.
Expect these to air on TBS. That’s been the recent trend for the even-numbered years in the Turner/CBS rotation. If you're heading to Lucas Oil Stadium, remember it’s a massive football venue. The sightlines from the 600-level are... well, they’re distant. But the atmosphere? Unbeatable.
The Indianapolis "Mega-Weekend" Twist
What makes 2026 weird—and kind of awesome—is Easter Sunday. Usually, Sunday at the Final Four is a "dark day" where fans just wander around the Fan Fest. Not this year.
Because Indy is hosting everything, Sunday, April 5 is actually a triple-header of championship games over at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
- The Division II National Championship tips at 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS).
- The Division III title game follows at 4:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+).
- The NIT Championship game finishes the night at 8:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2).
Basically, if you’re a basketball junkie, you don’t have to leave the city limits to see four different trophies handed out in 72 hours.
Women’s Final Four: Desert Heat in Phoenix
While the men are in the Midwest, the Women's Final Four is heading to Phoenix, Arizona. Specifically, they'll be at the Mortgage Matchup Center (formerly known as Footprint Center). This is a big deal for Phoenix; it’s the first time they’ve hosted the women’s pinnacle event.
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The women’s tournament sticks to the Friday-Sunday format.
- National Semifinals (Friday, April 3): Games are traditionally played in a back-to-back session starting in the early evening. While exact tip times can shift slightly for TV, expect the first game around 7:00 p.m. ET and the second around 9:30 p.m. ET.
- National Championship (Sunday, April 5): The championship game is currently scheduled for Sunday afternoon. In recent years, ABC has moved this to a prime slot, usually around 3:00 p.m. ET or 3:30 p.m. ET, to capitalize on the massive growth in women's basketball viewership.
The ESPN "MegaCast" will be in full effect here. You'll likely see the main broadcast on ABC or ESPN, with alternate "Bird & Taurasi" style feeds on ESPN2.
Why These Times Often Shift
You might notice that "tip-off" is a bit of a loose term in college basketball. The 8:30 p.m. ET slot for the second game on Saturday is almost always "approximate." If the first game goes into double overtime—which, let's be real, we all hope for—the second game won't start until 20 to 30 minutes after the first one ends.
TV networks like TBS and CBS have a massive say in this. They need those pre-game shows to breathe. They need the ads to run. If you’re hosting a watch party, tell people to show up 30 minutes early, but don’t be surprised if the actual ball doesn't go into the air until 8:42 p.m.
Preparing for the 2026 Tournament
If you’re planning to attend, the logistics for Indianapolis are actually pretty great. Most of the action is downtown. You can walk from the hotels to Lucas Oil Stadium or Gainbridge Fieldhouse without needing an Uber. Phoenix is a bit more spread out, but the arena is right in the heart of the downtown district.
For those watching at home, the most important thing is checking your service provider. Since the men's times for final four games are often on cable (TBS) rather than broadcast (CBS) in even years, you'll need a login for the March Madness Live app or a streaming service like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Book Hotels Early: For Indianapolis, the JW Marriott and the surrounding downtown hotels are usually sold out a year in advance. Look for spots near the airport or in Carmel if you want to save money.
- Sync Your Calendars: Mark April 3-6, 2026, as a "busy" block now.
- Check Your Specs: If you’re watching the Women’s Final Four on the "MegaCast," make sure your ESPN+ subscription is active, as some of the cooler alternate angles and the D-III games are exclusive to that platform.
- Monitor the NIT: Since the NIT semifinals are at Hinkle Fieldhouse (April 2), it’s a great chance to see a game in one of the most historic gyms in the world for a fraction of the Final Four price.
The road to the 2026 championship is going to be long, but knowing exactly where and when the finish line is makes the journey a lot easier to track.