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The NCAA Tournament will expand from 68 to 76 teams starting next season, fulfilling UCF coach Johnny Dawkins' wish. This change applies to both men's and women's tournaments.
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Johnny Dawkins is getting his wish.
The UCF Knightsâ menâs basketball coach expressed support for an expanded NCAA Tournament field last fall. Now, itâs here.
On May 7, the NCAA selection committee voted to increase the number of participating teams from 68 to 76 starting next season. That goes for both the menâs and womenâs events.
CBS Sportsâ Matt Norlander reported the motion passed unanimously.
For the men, itâs the first time March Madness has grown since 2011, when it jumped from 65 to 68 squads. This marks the first major expansion since the teams went from 53 to 64 in 1985.
The womenâs side leapt from 65 to 68 in 2022. But it had not seen this large of a change since going from 48 to 64 in 1994.
âThatâs a long time ago,â Dawkins said in October. â... You keep adding Division I teams and programs, but yet, your number stays the same at 64, basically.
âTo me, I think you have to be able to expand. I just do. I think itâs tough when you have, what, 17% of the (365) teams in Division I are able to play in the NCAA Tournament. Thatâs a very, very small number when you think about sports in general around this country. Look at the NFL. Look at the NBA. Two-thirds of the NBA now are going to the playoffs. Half of the NFL is going to the playoffs.â
The NCAA Tournament will expand to include 76 teams starting in 2027, increasing from the previous 68 teams.
UCF men's basketball coach Johnny Dawkins expressed support for the expansion of the NCAA Tournament field.
The last expansion of the NCAA Tournament occurred in 2011 when it increased from 65 to 68 teams.

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 20: Head coach Johnny Dawkins of the UCF Knights gathers his players against the UCLA Bruins during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Of course, the worry with adding teams is the product will become watered down.
Instead of the First Four, the NCAA Tournamentâs opening action will now feature 24 teams across 12 games.
The winners will advance to the Round of 64, the traditional first round for the last 40 years.
âI think most people would agree with that,â Dawkins said. âWhat that number is, that magic number, I donât know. But Iâm sure we can figure it out where it makes sense where you could add some more teams and still have it be one of the best sporting events in the world.â
All that remains in order to finalize the move is the approval of the menâs and womenâs basketball oversight committees, the Division I Cabinet and DI Board of Governors.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NCAA Tournament expands to 76 teams for men and women