Quick Scoop

For March Madness 2026, the men’s tournament airs across CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV, while the women’s tournament is on ESPN’s network family, including ESPN and ABC.

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Where to watch

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Tournament TV channels Streaming options
Men’s CBS, TNT, TBS, truTV. The First Four is on truTV, and the championship game lands on TBS. March Madness Live for authenticated TV subscribers on non-CBS games, plus live TV streaming services such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, Fubo, and DirecTV Stream; Paramount+ also carries CBS games.
Women’s ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and other ESPN channels. ESPN digital platforms, plus live TV services such as Hulu + Live TV, Sling, Fubo, and the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN bundle.

Fastest options

  • YouTube TV carries CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV for the men’s tournament.
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  • March Madness Live is the official one-stop stream for most men’s games, but CBS games are not available there.
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  • Paramount+ is useful for CBS coverage of the men’s bracket.
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  • ESPN streaming platforms are the main home for the women’s tournament.
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Best practical setup

If you want the simplest way to catch nearly everything, a live TV streaming service that includes CBS, TNT, TBS, truTV, and ESPN channels is the easiest all-in-one route.

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If you only care about the men’s bracket and already have a TV provider login, March Madness Live is the cleanest official option for non-CBS games.

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TL;DR

Men’s games: CBS, TNT, TBS, truTV; women’s games: ESPN/ABC family. For streaming, use March Madness Live, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, Fubo, Paramount+, or the ESPN platforms depending on which tournament you want to watch.

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