when does selection sunday start

Selection Sunday 2026 kicks off today. For the NCAA March Madness tournaments, it starts this afternoon with the men's bracket reveal at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the women's at 8 p.m. ET.

Key Times

• Men's Selection Show : 6 p.m. ET on CBS, unveiling the full 68-team bracket after conference tournaments wrap up.

• Women's Selection Show : 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, revealing matchups amid high anticipation for powerhouses like UConn.

These timings align with the standard format, building excitement as fans debate bubble teams and seeds.

Where to Watch

Catch the action live via CBS for men and ESPN for women, with streaming on Fubo (free trial available) or the ESPN app (with login).

This dual broadcast has been the norm, letting viewers track reveals region by region in real time.

Tournament Timeline

Men's March Madness follows swiftly:

Round| Dates
---|---
First Four| March 17-18
First Round| March 19-20
Second Round| March 21-22
Sweet 16| March 26-27
Elite Eight| March 28-29
Final Four| April 4
Championship| April 6

Women's schedule shifts slightly: First Four March 18-19, culminating in the title game on April 5 in Phoenix. Expect heated discussions on seeds, as committees weigh late surges and strength of schedule.

Trending Buzz

Fans are glued to forums predicting snubs—think bubble teams sweating every reveal, a tradition sparking endless bracket debates. With conference champs crowned, today's show ends weeks of speculation, launching pool season nationwide.

TL;DR : Starts today, March 15, 6 p.m. ET —men's on CBS, women's on ESPN.

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