NCAA Tournament is growing to 76 teams. Here's how new opening round will work

TL;DR

The NCAA has approved an expansion of the men's and women's basketball tournaments to 76 teams starting in 2027. The new format will include a 24-team opening round featuring at-large teams and automatic qualifiers.

Key points

NCAA Tournament expanding to 76 teams
New opening round will feature 24 teams
Opening round includes at-large teams and automatic qualifiers
Changes effective starting in 2027
Men's and women's tournaments will have different schedules

The NCAA formally approved expanding the men's and women's Division I basketball tournaments to 76 teams on Thursday, May 7.

Starting in 2027, March Madness will get even madder.

The new opening round will grow from eight teams to 24, be played Tuesday/Wednesday prior to the first round for men and Wednesday/Thursday for women and feature at-large teams and automatic qualifiers.

Opinion: Expanding the NCAA Tournament won't make it better

What if? What 76-team expanded NCAA Tournament would have looked like in 2026

Where will new NCAA Tournament opening round games be played?

Men's: March 16-17, 2027 (three games each day in Dayton, Ohio)
Men's: March 16-17, 2027 (three games each day in second city to be announced)
Women's: March 17-18, 2027 (six games a day on campuses of 12 of the top 16 seeds selected to host)

New NCAA Tournament opening round games format

No. 11 vs. No. 11
No. 11 vs. No. 11
No. 12 vs. No. 12
No. 12 vs. No. 12
No. 12 vs. No. 12
No. 12 vs. No. 12
No. 15 vs. No. 15
No. 15 vs. No. 15
No. 16 vs. No. 16
No. 16 vs. No. 16
No. 16 vs. No. 16
No. 16 vs. No. 16

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness expands to 76 teams, here's how opening round will work

Q&A

What changes are being made to the NCAA Tournament format in 2027?

The NCAA Tournament will expand to 76 teams, with a new 24-team opening round added before the first round.

How will the new opening round of the NCAA Tournament be structured?

The opening round will feature 24 teams, including at-large teams and automatic qualifiers, and will be played on Tuesday/Wednesday for men and Wednesday/Thursday for women.

When was the expansion of the NCAA Tournament officially approved?

The expansion to 76 teams was formally approved by the NCAA on May 7, 2026.