Where To Watch March Madness®

This March, you can watch select March Madness® men’s college basketball games from the First Round through the Elite Eight®, plus Selection Sunday, on CBS and Paramount+ with the Paramount+ Premium plan.

The 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament promises to deliver buzzer-beaters, bracket busters, and unforgettable moments. So, if you’re searching for where to watch the action, read on our guide that outlines the TV schedule, and highlights which games will air live on CBS and stream live on Paramount+ with the Paramount+ Premium plan.

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Where to watch March Madness® live

In 2026, you can watch March Madness® men’s games live across CBS and Turner Sports networks, including CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV.

Games airing live on CBS can be streamed live on Paramount+ for subscribers with the Paramount+ Premium plan.

As of publication, game-by-game network assignments have not been made. But we can tell you CBS Sports will present live games from the First Round, Second Round, Sweet 16, and Elite Eight®. CBS Sports will also present Selection Sunday, the annual show where the March Madness® bracket is revealed.

What channel is March Madness® on?

In 2026, March Madness® men’s games will air on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. Games aired live on these channels can be watched on your TV or screen by using cable, satellite, or a live-TV streaming service. Additionally, games airing on CBS can be watched live using a digital antenna, or via Paramount+ with the Paramount+ Premium plan.

Right now, it’s not known which games will air on which channels – the March Madness® schedule won’t be set until Selection Sunday on Sunday, March 15, 2026, airing live at 6 PM ET on CBS. In general, CBS will air live games from the First Round, Second Round, Sweet 16, and Elite Eight®.

Where to stream March Madness® online

In 2026, March Madness® men’s games will steam online via various platforms, including Paramount+ and HBO Max. Paramount+ will be the streaming home for Selection Sunday and March Madness® men’s games aired by CBS (active subscription to Paramount+ Premium plan required); HBO Max will stream games presented by TBS, TNT, TruTV.

How to stream March Madness® on Paramount+

To stream March Madness® live on Paramount+, for starters, you need:

an active Paramount+ subscription to the Paramount+ Premium plan (required for live access to your local CBS TV station feed); and,
a supported device – i.e., smart TV, mobile device, tablet, streaming stick, or computer browser. (Visit the Paramount+ Help Center for a full list of supported devices.)

Once you’re logged into your Paramount+ account, and/or started with your Paramount+ subscription on the Paramount+ Premium plan, then:

navigate to the Live TV hub;
select the feed of your live, local CBS station during March Madness® games presented by CBS Sports.

For more info, read our guide on how to stream live CBS college basketball on Paramount+.

Does Paramount+ have every March Madness® game?

No. Paramount+ does not have every March Madness® game. During the men’s Division I tournament, select games from the First Round, Second Round, Sweet 16, and Elite Eight® will air live on CBS, and stream live on Paramount+ with the Paramount+ Premium plan.

Selection Sunday, taking place at 6 PM ET, on Sunday, March 15, 2026, and airing live on CBS, will also stream live on Paramount+ with the Paramount+ Premium plan.

Can you watch March Madness® without cable?

Yes. You can watch March Madness® without cable. For games airing live on CBS, you can watch March Madness® by using satellite, live-TV streaming service, digital antenna, or via Paramount+ with a subscription to the Paramount+ Premium plan. For games airing live on TBS, TNT, and truTV, you can watch March Madness® by using a satellite or live-TV streaming service, among other options.

Where to watch the Final Four® and national championship

You can watch the 2026 men’s Final Four® and NCAA national championship games on TBS.

The semifinal games of the Final Four® are Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis; the championship game is Monday, April 6, 2026, also at Lucas Oil Stadium.

2026 March Madness® schedule

The 2026 March Madness® schedule for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament is below:

Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 15
First Four: Tuesday, March 17-Wednesday, March 18
First Round: Thursday, March 19-Friday, March 20
Second Round: Saturday, March 21-Sunday, March 22
Sweet 16: Thursday, March 26-Friday, March 27
Elite Eight: Saturday, March 28-Sunday, March 29
Final Four: Saturday, April 4
National Championship: Monday, April 6

For a complete look at key dates and locations, check out the 2026 March Madness® schedule on CBSSports.com.

What is March Madness®?

March Madness® refers to the annual, season-ending, men’s and women’s NCAA Division 1 college basketball tournaments. The men’s tournament is a 68-team, single-elimination competition. Every game is win-or-go-home. From mid-March through early April, underdogs rise, a top seed wobbles or falls, and, ultimately, a national champion is crowned. The tournament bracket is confirmed on Selection Sunday. From there, the games of March Madness® unfold in seven stages: