ESPN Bracket Challenge 2026 March Madness: How to Print Your NCAA Bracket, Key Deadlines, and Top Contenders
Selection Sunday is done. The 2026 March Madness bracket is officially set, all 68 teams are locked in, and the ESPN Bracket Challenge is open right now for free. You have until Thursday morning to get your picks in before the first games tip off. Here is everything you need to know about your printable NCAA bracket 2026, where to fill it out, and who to pick.
ESPN Bracket Challenge 2026: How to Play and What You Can Win
ESPN's Men's Tournament Challenge is the number one men's bracket game and is free to enter. The tournament tips off Thursday, March 19 at 12:15 p.m. ET — brackets lock at that moment, so do not wait. ESPN is offering $125,000 in total prizes across the bracket challenge field.
ESPN also has a Women's Tournament Challenge running alongside the men's game, also free to enter and also offering $125,000 in prizes. The women's tournament tips off Friday, March 21 at 11:30 a.m. ET, giving you one extra day to finalize those picks.
Printable NCAA Bracket 2026: Where to Get Your Copy Right Now
The official printable 2026 NCAA tournament bracket is available directly from NCAA.com. The 68-team bracket was announced on Selection Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 15 on CBS. Both a printable PDF version and a fully interactive online bracket are available on the official site.
Quality printable NCAA bracket 2026 options are also available at NCAA.com, CBS Sports, and ESPN — all free and ready to download. CBS Sports is running its own Bracket Challenge with a grand prize of a trip to the 2027 Final Four for the winner.
2026 March Madness Bracket Schedule: Key Dates to Know
The First Four tips off Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18 in Dayton, Ohio. The First Round runs Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20. The Second Round follows Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22. The Final Four takes place Saturday, April 4 at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The national championship game tips at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday, April 6, also in Indianapolis on TBS.
2026 March Madness Bracket First Four: Four Games Before the Field of 64
The First Four in Dayton begins Tuesday with UMBC against Howard at 6:40 p.m. ET on truTV, followed by Texas against NC State at 9:15 p.m. ET. Wednesday features Prairie View A&M against Lehigh at 6:40 p.m. ET and Miami (Ohio) against SMU at 9:15 p.m. ET on truTV.
Four No. 1 Seeds and the Top Contenders to Fill Out Your Bracket
The four No. 1 seeds in the 2026 March Madness bracket are Duke, Michigan, Arizona, and Florida. All four enter as heavy favorites and are described as dominant forces heading into the tournament, though Florida stumbled in the SEC semifinals heading into Selection Sunday.
Florida has made the Final Four all three times it has been a No. 1 seed, including a national title in 2025 — making the Gators a strong pick to go deep again. Duke is anchored by AJ Dybantsa, considered a frontrunner for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
2026 NCAA Bracket First Round Matchups to Watch
The first round opens Thursday, March 19 with Ohio State against TCU at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS, followed by Nebraska against Troy at 12:40 p.m. ET.
ESPN analysts highlight BYU as a potential Sweet 16 sleeper, powered by freshman standout AJ Dybantsa. In the South Region, a projected Sweet 16 matchup between Illinois and Houston is being called one of the most anticipated games of the entire tournament. Nebraska — a team with no NCAA tournament wins in program history — faces Troy as a 4-seed in what could be a dangerous early exit.
First Round Locations for Your 2026 Printable March Madness Bracket
First and second round sites for the 2026 March Madness bracket include Buffalo, New York at KeyBank Center; Greenville, South Carolina at Bon Secours Wellness Arena; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at PayCom Center; Portland, Oregon at Moda Center; Tampa, Florida at Benchmark International Arena; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Xfinity Mobile Arena; and San Diego, California at Viejas Arena. Print your bracket, lock in your picks at ESPN before 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, and may your Final Four hold.
