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where are all the march madness games held

March Madness 2026 Game Locations
The 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament (March Madness) spans multiple venues across the U.S., from the First Four through the Final Four. Games kicked off with the First Four on March 18-19 and first/second rounds starting March 19-22, with regionals underway as of late March 2026.

First Four

Held at UD Arena in Dayton, OH , this opening round features play-in games for at-large and auto-bid teams. It's a tradition at Dayton since 2011, setting the stage for the full 68-team bracket.

First & Second Rounds (Round of 64 & 32)

Eight sites host early action in doubleheaders:

CityVenueDates
Buffalo, NYKeyBank CenterThu Mar 19, Sat Mar 21
Greenville, SCBon Secours Wellness ArenaThu Mar 19, Sat Mar 21
Oklahoma City, OKPaycom CenterThu Mar 19, Sat Mar 21
Portland, ORModa CenterThu Mar 19, Sat Mar 21
Tampa, FLBenchmark International ArenaFri Mar 20, Sun Mar 22
Philadelphia, PAXfinity Mobile ArenaFri Mar 20, Sun Mar 22
San Diego, CAViejas ArenaFri Mar 20, Sun Mar 22
St. Louis, MOEnterprise CenterFri Mar 20, Sun Mar 22
Teams aren't assigned until Selection Sunday (March 15), creating bracket buzz nationwide.[1][5]

Regional Sites (Sweet 16 & Elite Eight)

Four regionals advance the bracket March 26-29:

  • East Regional : Capital One Arena, Washington, DC (Thu Mar 26, Sat Mar 28)
  • Midwest Regional : United Center, Chicago, IL (Fri Mar 27, Sun Mar 29)
  • South Regional : Toyota Center, Houston, TX (Thu Mar 26, Sat Mar 28)
  • West Regional : SAP Center, San Jose, CA (Thu Mar 26, Sat Mar 28)

Final Four & Championship

The semifinals and title game cap it at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN (Sat Apr 4 & Mon Apr 6). Indy returns after hosting regionals in past years, drawing massive crowds for the climax.

TL;DR : From Dayton's opener to Indy's finale, 2026 March Madness spreads across 14+ venues in 13 cities, blending NBA arenas and college staples for coast-to-coast drama. Check NCAA.com for live updates as brackets unfold.

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