Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- UConn, UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina have secured the top seeds for the tournament, with several surprise teams joining the top 16.
- The first two rounds will be hosted by the top 16 teams at their home arenas, with neutral sites for the Sweet Sixteen and beyond.
- The Final Four and National Championship will take place at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona, with the title game scheduled for April 5.
Will the Huskies run it back for a second consecutive title, or will a new champion be crowned? Women's March Madness is officially underway, and this NCAA women's basketball season has been nothing short of thrilling. The conference tournaments gave fans a lot to think about, and even more to look forward to as we head towards the madness.
Senior stars like UConn's Azzi Fudd and LSU's Flau'Jae Johnson are getting a chance at their second collegiate rings before they head off to the WNBA. For other WNBA hopefuls like UCLA's Lauren Betts and TCU's Olivia Miles, this is their final chance to reach that ultimate goal.
If this women's college basketball season taught us anything, it's that the competition keeps getting closer year after year. While it might be easy to look at UConn's undefeated record and name them as overwhelming favorites, it's not that simple. UCLA has battled its way through tough opponents all season long. South Carolina will come in with a bit of vengeance after losing the SEC Championship to Texas, another title contender. Some dark horses like Kentucky, Notre Dame, and West Virginia can't be slept on either.
This March should be one for the ages in women's basketball. Below you will find a printable bracket and other important details regarding seeding and scheduling.
Printable 2026 Women's March Madness bracket
To print FanSided's bracket, right click on the image and save.
UConn, UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina have had the No. 1 seeds essentially locked down for quite a while. But there were a few surprises among the other 12 teams in the top 16. West Virginia slid their way in, as did North Carolina, Minnesota, and Oklahoma. Some fans were surprised not to see Kentucky in the top 16. These spots hold a lot of value in the women's tournament, as the top 16 teams host the first and second rounds at their home arenas.
Women's March Madness schedule and key dates
Round | Dates |
|---|---|
First Four | Wednesday, March 18 - Thursday, March 19 |
First Round (of 64) | Friday, March 20 - Saturday, March 21 |
Second Round (of 32) | Sunday, March 22 - Monday, March 23 |
Sweet 16 | Friday, March 27 - Saturday, March 28 |
Elite Eight | Sunday, March 29 - Monday, March 30 |
Final Four | Friday, April 3 |
National Championship | Sunday, April 5 |
Women's March Madness location and venues
As I previously mentioned, being in the top 16 is incredibly valuable in the women's tournament. These are the 16 teams that will host the first and second rounds on their home courts.
Top 16: Duke, Iowa, Louisville, LSU, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, TCU, Texas, UCLA, UConn, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia.
Starting at the round of 16 (Sweet Sixteen), the games will be played at neutral sites. The Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games will be played at both Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, and Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. The Final Four and National Championship will be played at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
How to watch the 2026 Women's March Madness tournament live
The 2026 women's tournament games will be played across ESPN networks. The First Four, along with the first and second rounds, will be available to watch on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU.
The Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight will be played on ABC and ESPN. Both Final Four matchups will be on ESPN, and the National Championship will be on ABC on Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
If you're looking for an easy way to tune into all the games, fans can also sign up for ESPN+, where all games will be available on the ESPN app.