March Madness 2027: Dates, Schedule, Bracket & Complete Guide

March Madness 2027 runs from Sunday, March 14 through Monday, April 5 — a total of 23 days from Selection Sunday to the championship game.

It marks the most structurally significant NCAA tournament in 16 years. For the first time, 76 teams will compete for the national championship — up from 68 — replacing the First Four with a 12-game Opening Round that begins Tuesday, March 16, 2027.

The championship game is Monday, April 5, 2027, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

This guide covers every round date, all host city venues, how the expanded bracket works, how to watch, bracket strategy, and what to expect from Detroit’s first Final Four since 2009.

Key Detail	Information
Selection Sunday	Sunday, March 14, 2027
Opening Round	Tuesday, March 16 – Wednesday, March 17, 2027
First Round	Thursday, March 18 – Friday, March 19, 2027
Second Round	Saturday, March 20 – Sunday, March 21, 2027
Sweet 16	Thursday, March 25 – Friday, March 26, 2027
Elite Eight	Saturday, March 27 – Sunday, March 28, 2027
Final Four	Saturday, April 3, 2027 — Ford Field, Detroit
Championship Game	Monday, April 5, 2027 — Ford Field, Detroit
Total Teams	76 (first year of expansion)
Broadcast	CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV

What Is March Madness 2027?

March Madness is the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament — a single-elimination postseason championship contested across seven rounds, from the Opening Round through the national championship game.

The 2027 edition is the 88th NCAA tournament and the first played under the expanded 76-team format.

The tournament is also referred to as the Big Dance. It is open exclusively to Division I men’s basketball programs. It does not include Division II, Division III, or the NAIA.

Why 2027 Is the Most Consequential NCAA Tournament Since 2011

The expansion from 68 to 76 teams is the largest structural change to March Madness since 2011, when the field grew from 65 to 68 teams and the First Four replaced the traditional play-in game.

The NCAA Board of Directors approved the 76-team format unanimously. The expansion adds 8 at-large berths, increases total Opening Round games from 4 to 12, and introduces the term “Opening Round” as the official replacement for “First Four.”

The financial impact is substantial. The NCAA’s revenue distribution model allocates units to conferences based on tournament appearances.

Eight additional teams means additional unit payouts — projected to exceed $131 million in new distributions over the multi-year contract cycle.

For bracket pickers, the structural shift matters. The bracket now includes 12 Opening Round games before the traditional 64-team frame begins, adding a pre-bracket prediction layer that did not exist in prior years.

Men’s vs. Women’s Tournament in 2027

Both the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments expand to 76 teams in 2027. The men’s Opening Round is held Tuesday, March 16 and Wednesday, March 17, at Dayton, Ohio (UD Arena) and a second site to be announced.

The women’s Opening Round runs Wednesday, March 17 and Thursday, March 18, on the home campuses of 12 of the top 16 seeds selected to host — consistent with the women’s tournament’s home-campus model for early rounds.

The two tournaments operate on separate brackets, separate schedules, and separate broadcast arrangements. Content on this page covers the men’s tournament exclusively.

March Madness 2027 Schedule — All Rounds and Dates

The 2027 NCAA tournament runs from Sunday, March 14 through Monday, April 5 — a total of 23 days from Selection Sunday to the championship game.

Round	Dates	Games
Selection Sunday	Sunday, March 14, 2027	Bracket reveal
Opening Round	Tuesday, March 16 – Wednesday, March 17, 2027	12 games
First Round	Thursday, March 18 – Friday, March 19, 2027	32 games
Second Round	Saturday, March 20 – Sunday, March 21, 2027	16 games
Sweet 16	Thursday, March 25 – Friday, March 26, 2027	8 games
Elite Eight	Saturday, March 27 – Sunday, March 28, 2027	4 games
Final Four	Saturday, April 3, 2027	2 games
Championship Game	Monday, April 5, 2027	1 game

Total games played in 2027: 75. This is an increase from the 67 games played under the 68-team format. The additional 8 games all occur in the Opening Round.

Selection Sunday 2027 — When the Bracket Is Revealed

Selection Sunday is Sunday, March 14, 2027. The NCAA selection committee reveals all 76 teams, their seeds, and their first-round matchups in a live broadcast on CBS. The bracket is simultaneously published on NCAA.com and the March Madness Live app.

The selection show typically begins in the early afternoon Eastern time. The committee announces at-large selections, seeds teams on a single overall seed list from 1 through 76, and assigns teams to four regions: East, West, South, and Midwest.

Bubble teams — programs on the edge of the at-large field — receive the most scrutiny in the hours leading up to the announcement. With 44 at-large bids available in the 76-team era (up from 36), more programs are in genuine contention for inclusion than in any prior year.

Opening Round Schedule — Tuesday, March 16 and Wednesday, March 17, 2027

The Opening Round replaces the First Four and features 12 games over two days. Six games are played Tuesday, March 16, and six games are played Wednesday, March 17. Dayton, Ohio’s UD Arena serves as one host site; a second site is to be confirmed.

The 24 teams in the Opening Round are drawn from two pools: the 12 lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers (conference champions with the weakest overall seed list ranking) and the 12 lowest-seeded at-large teams. Winners of all 12 games advance to the First Round.

Opening Round matchups by seed line:

• No. 11 seeds (at-large): 3 games
• No. 12 seeds (at-large): 3 games
• No. 15 seeds (automatic qualifiers): 3 games
• No. 16 seeds (automatic qualifiers): 3 games

This structure differs from the First Four, which featured only 4 games involving the last four at-large teams and the last four automatic qualifiers regardless of seed line.

First Round — Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19, 2027

The 64-team First Round begins Thursday, March 18. Thirty-two games are played across 8 host cities over two days — 16 games per day. The bracket splits evenly: the East and Midwest regions play one day, the West and South play the other.

The 5 vs. 12 seed matchup is the most historically significant upset line in the First Round. No. 12 seeds win approximately 35% of their games against No. 5 seeds — the highest upset rate of any double-digit vs. single-digit seed pairing (NCAA tournament historical records, 1985–2024).

Second Round — Saturday, March 20 and Sunday, March 21, 2027

The Second Round narrows the field from 64 to 32 teams. Sixteen games are played across the same 8 host cities used in the First Round. No. 1 seeds face No. 8 or No. 9 seed winners; No. 2 seeds face No. 7 or No. 10 seed winners.

Sweet 16 — Thursday, March 25 and Friday, March 26, 2027

The Sweet 16 is held at four regional sites. Eight games are played over two days, with the East and Midwest regionals on one day and the West and South regionals on the other. At this stage, 16 teams remain.

Regional sites for the Sweet 16 in 2027:

• East Regional: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York — Thursday, March 25 and Saturday, March 27
• West Regional: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California — Thursday, March 25 and Saturday, March 27
• Midwest Regional: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri — Friday, March 26 and Sunday, March 28
• South Regional: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas — Friday, March 26 and Sunday, March 28

Elite Eight — Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28, 2027

The Elite Eight determines the four programs advancing to the Final Four. Four games are played at the same four regional sites as the Sweet 16, on the following weekend. At this stage, 8 teams remain.

Final Four and Championship Game — Saturday, April 3 and Monday, April 5, 2027

The 2027 Final Four is at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The national semifinals are Saturday, April 3, and the national championship game is Monday, April 5. Michigan State University serves as the host institution.

Detroit last hosted the Final Four in 2009, when the University of North Carolina defeated Michigan State 89–72 at Ford Field.

The 2027 championship game airs on CBS — the rotation year for CBS to carry the title game, which alternates with TBS.

March Madness 2027 Host Cities and Venues

First Round and Second Round Host Cities

Eight cities host the First Round (Thursday, March 18 – Friday, March 19) and Second Round (Saturday, March 20 – Sunday, March 21). All host arenas meet the NCAA’s minimum capacity requirement of 10,000 seats.

City	Venue	First/Second Round Dates
Pittsburgh, PA	PPG Paints Arena	Thursday, March 18 and Saturday, March 20
Omaha, NE	CHI Health Center	Thursday, March 18 and Saturday, March 20
Fort Worth, TX	Dickies Arena	Thursday, March 18 and Saturday, March 20
Spokane, WA	Numerica Veterans Arena	Thursday, March 18 and Saturday, March 20
Charlotte, NC	Spectrum Center	Friday, March 19 and Sunday, March 21
Minneapolis, MN	Target Center	Friday, March 19 and Sunday, March 21
Louisville, KY	KFC Yum! Center	Friday, March 19 and Sunday, March 21
Sacramento, CA	Golden 1 Center	Friday, March 19 and Sunday, March 21

Opening Round Host Sites

The Opening Round (Tuesday, March 16 – Wednesday, March 17) is held at Dayton, Ohio’s UD Arena, which has served as the permanent Opening Round and First Four host since 2011. A second site for 2027 is to be announced by the NCAA.

Regional Sites — Sweet 16 and Elite Eight

Region	Venue	City	Dates
East Regional	Madison Square Garden	New York, NY	Thursday, March 25 and Saturday, March 27
West Regional	Crypto.com Arena	Los Angeles, CA	Thursday, March 25 and Saturday, March 27
Midwest Regional	T-Mobile Center	Kansas City, MO	Friday, March 26 and Sunday, March 28
South Regional	Frost Bank Center	San Antonio, TX	Friday, March 26 and Sunday, March 28

The 2027 Final Four — Ford Field, Detroit

Ford Field is an enclosed NFL stadium with a seating capacity of approximately 65,000 for football.

For the Final Four configuration, the court is placed at midfield with temporary seating scaled to the basketball format. The venue hosted the 2009 Final Four and Super Bowl XL in 2006.

Detroit’s downtown core is immediately adjacent to Ford Field, with Comerica Park and Little Caesars Arena within walking distance.

The Detroit People Mover light rail system connects major downtown destinations, including the Renaissance Center and Greektown.

The NCAA operates an official Fan Fest in the days surrounding the Final Four — an interactive arena open to ticket holders and the general public, typically staged within a half-mile of the host venue.

Future Final Four Sites

Year	Dates	City	Venue	Host Institution
2027	Saturday, April 3 and Monday, April 5	Detroit, MI	Ford Field	Michigan State University
2028	Saturday, April 1 and Monday, April 3	Las Vegas, NV	Allegiant Stadium	UNLV
2029	Monday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 2	Indianapolis, IN	Lucas Oil Stadium	Horizon League / IU Indy
2030	Sunday, April 6 and Tuesday, April 8	North Texas	AT&T Stadium	Big 12 Conference
2031	Saturday, April 5 and Monday, April 7	Atlanta, GA	Mercedes-Benz Stadium	Georgia Tech

How the New 76-Team March Madness Bracket Works

The 2027 NCAA tournament features 76 teams — 32 automatic qualifiers and 44 at-large selections. Twenty-four teams play in the 12-game Opening Round. The 12 winners join the remaining 52 teams in the 64-team First Round bracket.

The 76-team format is the first structural expansion since 2011 and the third in tournament history (the field grew from 25 to 48 in 1975, then incrementally to 68 by 2011).

The expansion does not add new regions or alter the four-region structure. It adds one pre-bracket round — the Opening Round — before the traditional 64-team bracket begins.

How the Opening Round Works

The Opening Round consists of 12 games over two days. The 24 participating teams are drawn from the bottom of the committee’s overall seed list, split equally between two pools:

• Pool 1 — Automatic qualifiers: The 12 lowest-ranked conference champions on the overall seed list.
• Pool 2 — At-large teams: The 12 lowest-ranked at-large selections on the overall seed list.

Teams within each pool are matched by seed line. The 12 game winners advance to fill their designated slots in the 64-team First Round bracket. This structure means the Opening Round affects four seed lines: No. 11, No. 12, No. 15, and No. 16.

The Opening Round is not equivalent to the First Four. The First Four involved only 4 games (2 automatic qualifier matchups and 2 at-large matchups). The Opening Round triples that to 12 games, involving 24 teams across four seed lines.

How the 76 Teams Are Selected

The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee selects all 76 teams each Selection Sunday. Thirty-two teams earn automatic bids by winning their conference tournaments. Forty-four teams receive at-large bids based on the committee’s evaluation of season performance.

The primary selection metrics the committee uses:

• NET Rankings (NCAA Evaluation Tool): A predictive metric combining game results, game location, scoring margin (capped at 10 points), net offensive and defensive efficiency, and strength of schedule.
• Quadrant record: Wins and losses sorted by game location and opponent NET ranking. Quad 1 wins (home vs. NET 1–30, neutral vs. NET 1–50, away vs. NET 1–75) carry the most weight.
• Strength of schedule: Both overall and non-conference.
• Conference record and standing.

The committee does not use RPI (Ratings Percentage Index), which was officially retired in 2019.

What Is a Bubble Team?

A bubble team is a program whose at-large resume places it near the cutoff between inclusion and exclusion from the field. In the 68-team era, roughly 36 at-large spots were available.

In the 76-team era, 44 at-large spots are available — meaning approximately 8 additional programs per year are in genuine contention for inclusion who would previously have been excluded.

Bubble watch intensifies during conference tournament week (typically the week before Selection Sunday), when programs can both improve and damage their resumes in a short window.

76-Team vs. 68-Team Format — Key Differences

Feature	68-Team Format (through 2026)	76-Team Format (2027 onward)
Total teams	68	76
Automatic bids	32	32
At-large bids	36	44
Pre-bracket round name	First Four	Opening Round
Pre-bracket games	4	12
Teams in pre-bracket round	8	24
Total games played	67	75
Rounds	6 (after First Four)	7
Bracket regions	4	4

How Seeding Works in the 76-Team Bracket

The committee places all 76 teams on a single seed list, ranked 1 through 76. It then assigns seeds 1 through 16 in each of the four regions (64 teams total), with the 24 lowest-ranked teams assigned to the Opening Round.

No. 1 seeds are the top 4 teams on the overall seed list, one per region. No. 16 seeds are the lowest-ranked teams in each region — and in 2027, some No. 16 seeds will come through the Opening Round.

This means a No. 16 seed that wins the Opening Round then faces a No. 1 seed in the First Round, which has occurred twice in tournament history: UMBC over Virginia in 2018, and Fairleigh Dickinson over Purdue in 2023.

How to Watch March Madness 2027

March Madness 2027 is broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. The championship game airs on CBS. All four networks are available on most cable and satellite packages. Streaming access is available through the March Madness Live app, Paramount+, and Max.

Which Channel Airs Which Round

Round	Primary Channels
Opening Round	TBS, truTV
First Round	CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV
Second Round	CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV
Sweet 16	CBS, TBS
Elite Eight	CBS, TBS
Final Four	CBS, TBS
Championship Game	CBS

CBS carries the championship game in 2027 under the current broadcast rotation between CBS and TBS. Turner Sports networks (TBS, TNT, truTV) handle the higher volume of early-round games, with CBS typically reserved for prime window games throughout the tournament.

Streaming Options for March Madness 2027

Platform	What It Covers	Subscription Required
March Madness Live app	All tournament games (free preview window available)	TV provider login for full access
Paramount+	CBS games	Yes — Paramount+ subscription
Max	Turner games (TBS, TNT, truTV)	Yes — Max subscription
YouTube TV	All four channels	Yes — live TV subscription
Hulu + Live TV	All four channels	Yes — live TV subscription
Sling TV	TBS, TNT, truTV (CBS varies by market)	Yes — Sling subscription
DirecTV Stream	All four channels	Yes — DirecTV Stream subscription

How to Watch March Madness 2027 Without Cable

The March Madness Live app provides a free preview window for early Opening Round and First Round games without requiring a TV provider login. The exact number of free games varies by year and is confirmed by the NCAA closer to the tournament. After the free preview window ends, a TV provider login or streaming subscription is required.

Live TV streaming services — YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream, and Sling TV — provide cable-equivalent access without a traditional cable contract. Monthly pricing ranges from approximately $40 to $80 depending on the tier.

International Viewing Options

Viewers outside the United States can access March Madness 2027 through DAZN, which holds rights in select markets including Canada and parts of Europe. Time zone conversions for key games: Eastern Time (ET) is UTC−4 during March and April 2027. Central European Time (CET) is UTC+1, placing afternoon ET games in late evening CET. Japan Standard Time (JST) is UTC+9, placing afternoon ET games in the early hours of the following morning.

March Madness 2027 Bracket — How to Fill It Out and Win Your Pool

Where to Get the 2027 Printable Bracket

The official printable bracket PDF is published on NCAA.com immediately following Selection Sunday on March 14, 2027.

Free bracket pool platforms include ESPN Tournament Challenge and CBS Sports Bracket Challenge — both of the two largest pool platforms by registered user volume. Both platforms allow multiple bracket entries per account.

How to Fill Out a March Madness Bracket — Step by Step

Filling out a bracket for the 76-team field involves two distinct stages that did not both exist prior to 2027.

1. Predict the Opening Round (12 games): Identify which teams in each Opening Round matchup you believe will advance. Opening Round winners fill into the First Round bracket. If you pick incorrectly here, your First Round prediction for that slot is automatically incorrect regardless of who you pick to win it.
2. Fill the First Round (32 games): Pick a winner for each of the 64 teams’ first matchups, incorporating your Opening Round picks for the 12 affected slots.
3. Continue through the Second Round, Sweet 16, and Elite Eight: Pick regional winners for each of the four regions.
4. Pick the Final Four matchups: Select which two teams from each semifinal advance to the championship.
5. Select your champion: Pick one team to win the national championship.

Most pool scoring systems award more points for correct picks in later rounds. A common format: 1 point per correct First Round pick, 2 points in the Second Round, 4 in the Sweet 16, 8 in the Elite Eight, 16 for each Final Four pick, and 32 for the correct champion.

Best Bracket Strategies for the 76-Team Field

No. 1 seeds advance to the Final Four in more than 40% of all Final Four slots since the current seeding format was established in 1979 (NCAA tournament historical data). Picking at least 2 No. 1 seeds in the Final Four is statistically consistent with historical outcomes.

Additional data-backed patterns from the 68-team era (1985–2024):

• No. 12 seeds defeat No. 5 seeds approximately 35% of the time. Picking at least one 12-over-5 upset is statistically justified.
• No. 2 seeds have never won the championship without reaching the Final Four. Picking a No. 2 seed as champion requires also picking them through the Elite Eight.
• Only 2 No. 16 seeds have ever defeated a No. 1 seed in the First Round: UMBC over Virginia (2018) and Fairleigh Dickinson over Purdue (2023). Picking a No. 16 seed to advance past the First Round is statistically unlikely.
• Mid-major programs from the Missouri Valley Conference, Atlantic 10, and West Coast Conference have historically produced the most Cinderella runs — deep tournament runs by programs not from power conferences.

In the 76-team era, Opening Round strategy introduces a new variable. No. 12 seeds and No. 15 seeds that play in the Opening Round enter the First Round on one day’s less rest than programs that received a bye. This fatigue factor has no historical dataset yet in the expanded format.

What Is Bracketology?

Bracketology is the practice of predicting the NCAA tournament field — which teams will be selected, their seeds, and their regional assignments — before Selection Sunday.

The term is most associated with ESPN college basketball analyst Joe Lunardi, who publishes bracketology projections throughout the regular season and conference tournament week. NCAA.com publishes projections from Andy Katz’s Power 36 and Power 44 rankings.

Bracketology is not a formal NCAA process. It is an analytical exercise based on publicly available metrics including NET rankings, quadrant records, and conference standings.

What Is a Cinderella Team?

A Cinderella team is a low-seeded program, typically a mid-major conference representative, that advances significantly further in the tournament than its seed suggests.

Historical examples include Loyola Chicago (No. 11 seed, Final Four in 2018), VCU (No. 11 seed, Final Four in 2011), and Butler (No. 8 seed, championship game in 2010 and 2011).

In the 76-team era, mid-major programs have expanded access. Eight additional at-large bids means programs from conferences like the Missouri Valley, Atlantic 10, Mountain West, and West Coast Conference face a lower barrier to inclusion — increasing the annual pool of potential Cinderella candidates.

Odds of a Perfect Bracket

The mathematical probability of a perfect bracket in the 68-team format is approximately 1 in 9.2 quintillion if every game is a coin flip, or approximately 1 in 120 billion when accounting for historical seed performance data (DePaul University mathematics research).

No verified perfect bracket has ever been submitted in the history of ESPN Tournament Challenge or any major tracked competition. The 76-team format increases total games from 67 to 75, making a perfect bracket mathematically harder to achieve than in any prior year.

March Madness 2027 Predictions — Favorites and Teams to Watch

The 2026–27 men’s basketball regular season has not yet been played as of publication. The following reflects early bracketology projections and returning roster analysis available as of mid-2026.

Duke is Andy Katz’s early No. 1 program in his preseason Power 44 rankings for 2026–27 (NCAA.com, May 2026). Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, and Gonzaga have historically been the most frequent No. 1 seeds in the modern era.

The NCAA transfer portal and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements have substantially altered roster construction since 2021. Programs that roster high-usage transfer players in key positions have shown increased variance in tournament performance — both in Cinderella runs and early exits — compared to the pre-portal era. This adds uncertainty to pre-season projections that did not exist in prior decades.

Mid-major conferences to monitor for 2027 tournament inclusion under the expanded at-large field: Missouri Valley Conference, Atlantic 10 Conference, West Coast Conference, and Mountain West Conference. These conferences have collectively accounted for the majority of successful mid-major tournament runs since 2010.

March Madness 2027 — Tickets, Travel, and Detroit

How to Get Final Four 2027 Tickets

The NCAA sells Final Four tickets through a lottery process open to the general public. Applications for the lottery typically open several months before the tournament. The NCAA ticket portal is at NCAA.com.

Secondary market platforms — StubHub, SeatGeek, and Ticketmaster Resale — list tickets after the lottery closes, typically at a significant premium over face value.

First Round and Second Round tickets are sold through the host venue and local organizing committees, not directly through the NCAA. Availability varies by site and sells out in high-demand markets.

Detroit Final Four — Fan Experience and Events

Ford Field is located at 2000 Brush Street, Detroit, Michigan 48226, in the heart of downtown. The surrounding area includes Campus Martius Park, the Detroit Riverfront, and Greektown — all within a 10-minute walk. The NCAA Fan Fest is typically staged nearby and is free to attend for a portion of each day.

Detroit’s entertainment district has expanded significantly since the 2009 Final Four. Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons, opened in 2017 and is a 12-minute walk from Ford Field.

Hotels and Transportation in Detroit

Hotels near Ford Field and within a 2-mile radius of downtown Detroit include properties on the Detroit Riverfront and in Midtown. Final Four weekend hotel inventory sells out in most host cities within weeks of the host city announcement. Booking 6 to 12 months in advance is consistent with traveler behavior at recent Final Four events.

The Detroit People Mover is an automated monorail loop servicing 13 downtown stations, including Comerica Park station, which connects to the stadium area. SMART bus service and rideshare are available throughout greater Detroit.

March Madness History — Records, Upsets, and Key Statistics

Biggest Upsets in NCAA Tournament History

The two largest upsets by seed differential in First Round history are:

• UMBC 74, Virginia 54 (March 16, 2018): The first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the 68-year history of seeded play. Virginia was a unanimous No. 1 overall seed.
• Fairleigh Dickinson 63, Purdue 58 (March 17, 2023): The second No. 16 over No. 1 upset in tournament history. Purdue was a No. 1 seed and a top-3 preseason national ranking program.

Other historically significant upsets include NC State’s 1983 championship run as a No. 6 seed, Loyola-Chicago’s 2018 Final Four as a No. 11 seed, and UMBC’s win remaining the single most statistically improbable result in the tournament’s history based on pre-game win probability models.

Programs With the Most NCAA Tournament Championships

Program	Championships	Most Recent Title
UCLA	11	1995
Kentucky	8	2012
North Carolina	6	2017
Duke	5	2015
Kansas	4	2022
Connecticut	6	2024
Indiana	5	1987
Villanova	3	2018

March Madness by the Numbers

Statistic	Value
Total teams in 2027	76
Total games played in 2027	75
Automatic qualifier bids	32
At-large bids	44
Rounds from Opening Round to champion	7
No. 12 seed upset rate vs. No. 5 seeds	~35% (1985–2024)
No. 1 seeds in Final Four (per Final Four slot, 1979–2024)	>40%
No. 16 seeds to defeat No. 1 seeds	2 (2018, 2023)
Approximate odds of a perfect bracket	1 in 9.2 quintillion (coin flip model)

March Madness 2027 FAQ

Add March Madness 2027 to Your Calendar

The full schedule of key dates for March Madness 2027:

Event	Date
Selection Sunday	Sunday, March 14, 2027
Opening Round (Day 1)	Tuesday, March 16, 2027
Opening Round (Day 2)	Wednesday, March 17, 2027
First Round (Day 1)	Thursday, March 18, 2027
First Round (Day 2)	Friday, March 19, 2027
Second Round (Day 1)	Saturday, March 20, 2027
Second Round (Day 2)	Sunday, March 21, 2027
Sweet 16 (Day 1)	Thursday, March 25, 2027
Sweet 16 (Day 2)	Friday, March 26, 2027
Elite Eight (Day 1)	Saturday, March 27, 2027
Elite Eight (Day 2)	Sunday, March 28, 2027
Final Four	Saturday, April 3, 2027
NCAA Championship Game	Monday, April 5, 2027

An ICS calendar file containing all March Madness 2027 round dates can be downloaded from NCAA.com following the official schedule confirmation.

Google Calendar users can add individual events using the “Add to Calendar” function available on the NCAA tournament schedule page.