when do the final four games start

The 2026 NCAA Men's Final Four semifinals start tonight. With today being Saturday, April 4, 2026, fans are gearing up for high-stakes action in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Game Schedule

The first national semifinal tips off at 6:00 p.m. ET (that's 6:09 p.m. ET per some detailed listings), pitting (3) Illinois against (2) UConn. The second game follows at 8:30 p.m. ET (or precisely 8:49 p.m. ET), featuring (1) Arizona versus (1) Michigan. Both will air on TBS in partnership with CBS Sports.

Here's the breakdown in a quick table:

Game| Matchup| Tip-Off (ET)| Location| Network
---|---|---|---|---
1| Illinois vs. UConn| 6:09 p.m.| Lucas Oil Stadium| TBS 5
2| Arizona vs. Michigan| 8:49 p.m.| Lucas Oil Stadium| TBS 5

Event Context

This marks Indianapolis hosting the Final Four for the ninth time, building excitement around open practices earlier today (like Illinois at noon ET and UConn at 1 p.m.). Surrounding festivities include the Reese's NABC College All-Star Game and NIT semifinals earlier in the week. The national championship follows Monday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. ET, though focus remains on tonight's thrillers.

TL;DR: Semifinals kick off at 6:09 p.m. ET tonight with Illinois-UConn, then Arizona-Michigan at 8:49 p.m. ET—pure March Madness magic in Indy!

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.