Overview

• The proposal would add 12 Tuesday–Wednesday opening-round games between the 12 lowest-ranked automatic qualifiers and the 12 lowest-ranked at-large teams.
• Winners from those games would enter an unchanged 64-team main bracket.
• Some reports indicate the expanded opening round could be split across two sites before the main bracket begins.
• NCAA and television executives have not finalized an agreement and are still negotiating format and broadcast details.
• Reports differ on when the change would start, citing either 2026–27 or 2027 pending final approval.