Overview

• NCAA senior vice president Dan Gavitt announced that both men’s and women’s tournaments will retain a 68-team field for the 2026 championships.
• Committee members explored expanding to 72 or 76 teams but deferred a final recommendation until fall, targeting a possible 2027 vote.
• Charlie Baker pointed to narrow windows between conference finals and The Masters as a key logistical barrier to a larger 2026 bracket.
• Negotiations with CBS, Warner Bros. Discovery and ESPN over broadcast rights and revenue structures are ongoing factors in any expansion decision.
• Fan surveys showed overwhelming resistance—one poll recorded 93.5% opposition—while some commissioners and coaches signaled conditional support for growth.