The 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament followed a structured multi-week schedule that captured the attention of the sports world throughout March and early April. The action kicked off with the First Four games in Dayton, Ohio, on March 17-18, followed by the high-intensity Round of 64 on March 19-20 and the Round of 32 on March 21-22. The tournament then advanced to the Sweet 16 on March 26-27 and the Elite Eight on March 28-29. The climax of the tournament took place in April, featuring the Final Four national semifinals on Saturday, April 4, and culminated with the dramatic National Championship game on Monday, April 6.