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NCAA to Expand March Madness to 76 Teams in 2026-27

4/29/2026

22 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The NCAA will expand men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to 76 teams, with a May decision and 2026-27 start.
The First Four will be replaced by a 12-game opening round in Dayton, Ohio, and an unnamed West Coast city.
Approval requires the basketball committees, oversight panels, Division I cabinet and Board of Governors, while power-conference leaders argue that automatic qualifiers exclude strong teams.

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Story summary

The NCAA will expand men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to 76 teams, with a May decision and 2026-27 start.
The First Four will be replaced by a 12-game opening round in Dayton, Ohio, and an unnamed West Coast city.
Approval requires the basketball committees, oversight panels, Division I cabinet and Board of Governors, while power-conference leaders argue that automatic qualifiers exclude strong teams.