Can you watch March Madness for free?
I’ve been devising ways to watch every March Madness game for free or cheap for a couple of years now, and I’ll tell you, it’s not easy. Sketchy livestreams often fail or disappear, and free trials are often not long enough to cover the entire tournament. But I promise I can get you most of the way there with a couple of tricks.
The main problem revolves around the live channels you’ll need for each round of March Madness. Use a five-day free trial of DIRECTV to get every game from the First Four through the second round of the tournament.
For free men’s Sweet 16 and Elite Eight streaming, fire up a seven-day free trial of HBO Max through Prime Video or Hulu if it’s currently available (it’s not as of writing). Yes, you have to go through another streaming service to get that HBO Max free trial.
Final Four and NCAA Championship Game coverage is where the rubber meets the road. Your free-trial options might dry up by this point, but you just need CBS, so check to see if YouTube TV has a free trial (it’s currently offering a 21-day free trial at the time of writing, but that changes frequently).
If YouTube TV lets you down, you’ll need to pay for a month of Paramount+ or order a digital antenna. Of course, double-check to see if your smart TV comes with a built-in antenna before you order. In my experience, that’s about as cheap as you’re gonna get.
This all presupposes that you qualify as a first-time customer, so you might need to get creative with that as well. Keep reading for more details on how to watch the NCAA Tournament.
Sound like too much of a hassle? I’ve got some TV plan recommendations that’ll save you some time (and maybe even a little cash).
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What channels show the NCAA Basketball Tournament?
The 2026 men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament will appear on CBS Sports and TNT Sports channels, while women’s March Madness action will air across ESPN platforms.
Men’s tournament channels:
- CBS
- TBS
- TNT
- truTV
- CBS Sports Network (replays only)
Pro tip: Every CBS game will stream on Paramount+ Premium, while HBO Max Standard and Premium plans will carry the TBS, TNT, and truTV broadcasts.
NCAA Basketball Tournament schedules
Get ready for a March Madness marathon of over 130 NCAA Tournament games. Sure, it’s a lot to monitor. But I created helpful round-by-round channel guides below. And if you want the full scoop, hit the buttons after each table for the complete men’s and women’s TV schedules.
You can also visit the NCAA’s official Men’s Basketball Bracket and Women’s Basketball Bracket for up-to-date stats and scores.
Men’s NCAA Tournament schedule
| Event | Start date | Channels |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | Sunday, March 15 | CBS, Paramount+ Premium |
| First Four | Tuesday, March 17 | truTV, HBO Max |
| First Round | Thursday, March 19 | CBS, Paramount+, TBS, TNT, truTV, HBO Max |
| Second Round | Saturday, March 21 | CBS, Paramount+, TBS, TNT, HBO Max |
| Sweet 16 | Thursday, March 26 | CBS, Paramount+ Premium, TBS, truTV, HBO Max |
| Elite Eight | Saturday, March 28 | CBS, Paramount+ Premium, TBS, truTV, HBO Max |
| Final Four | Saturday, April 4 | TNT, truTV, HBO Max |
| NCAA Championship Game | Monday, April 7 | TNT, truTV, HBO Max |
Data effective as of post date.
Women’s NCAA Tournament schedule
| Event | Start date | Channels |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | Sunday, March 15 | ESPN |
| First Four | Wednesday, March 18 | ESPN2 |
| First Round | Friday, March 20 | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU |
| Second Round | Sunday, March 22 | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 |
| Sweet 16 | Friday, March 27 | ESPN, ABC |
| Elite Eight | Sunday, March 29 | ABC, ESPN |
| Final Four | Friday, April 3 | ESPN |
| NCAA Championship Game | Sunday, April 5 | ABC |
Data effective as of post date.
Best TV plans for watching the NCAA Basketball Tournament
You can watch the NCAA Basketball Tournament through most TV providers, but Hulu + Live TV offers my favorite March Madness TV plan. Starting at $88.99 per month, you’ll get every channel of the men’s and women’s tournaments. The live TV streaming service also includes ESPN Unlimited (through the ESPN app) at no extra cost and unlimited cloud DVR storage.
On its own, ESPN Unlimited ($29.99 per month) is a cheap way to watch the entire women’s tournament and the men’s National Invitation Tournament. Paramount+ is also an inexpensive option for watching the men’s NCAA Tournament. Its Paramount+ Premium plan includes live CBS games and additional CBS Sports coverage.
If you’re looking for the cheapest way to tune in, a one-time TV antenna purchase can give you those same ABC and CBS games. But we’ll explain more about that in our free March Madness viewing options section further down.
Pro tip: Sling TV is the cheapest live TV service with TBS, TNT, and truTV coverage—available for $45.99/mo. in its Sling Blue plan. However, you can stream live sports from those channels via HBO Max for as low as $18.49 per month.
Which TV providers carry March Madness games?
Many popular TV services carry March Madness channels. But because the men’s competition airs between CBS Sports and TNT Sports networks, some providers show only a fraction of the tournament.
The following table highlights the TV providers that have men’s tournament channels. Apart from Philo, every provider listed below also offers the ESPN networks that show the women’s tournament—though you may need a higher-tiered plan to get ESPNews and ESPNU.
| Provider | Price | CBS | TBS | TNT | truTV | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox | $20.00–$184.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Cox Read Cox review |
| DIRECTV | $89.99–$169.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for DIRECTV Read DIRECTV review |
| DISH | $89.99–$119.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for DISH Read DISH review |
| Fubo | $14.99–$94.99/mo. | ✔ | — | — | — |
View Plans for FuboTV Read Fubo review |
| Hulu + Live TV | $88.99–$99.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Hulu Read Hulu + Live TV review |
| Optimum | $15.00–$140.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Optimum Read Optimum review |
| Philo | $33.00/mo. | — | — | — | — |
View Plans for Philo Read Philo review |
| Sling TV | $19.99–$60.99/mo. | — | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Sling TV Read Sling TV review |
| Spectrum | $45.00–$160.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Check Availability Read Spectrum review |
| Verizon Fios | $105.00–$149.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Verizon Read Verizon Fios review |
| Xfinity | $55.00–$125.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Xfinity Read Xfinity review |
| YouTube TV | $82.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for YouTube TV Read YouTube TV review |
Data effective as of post date.
How to watch March Madness for free the old school way
*CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links. Amazon.com Price; $46.99 (as of 7/25/25 11:20 a.m. CT). Read full disclaimer.
During March Madness, you can watch a handful of games for free using an over-the-air (OTA) antenna.
Every women’s game on ABC and men’s game on CBS is available over the air. Though, not everyone lives within range of each channel. You can verify OTA channel availability by entering your zip code into the FCC’s Reception Map Tool.
If you need an antenna, most cost anywhere between $20 to $60. We prefer the Mohu Leaf 50 because its 60-mile range and multidirectional design are ideal for suburban areas. But you can visit our Best OTA Antennas page to check out other antenna options.
Best ways to watch March Madness on TV
The 2026 NCAA Basketball Tournament will air on CBS Sports, TNT Sports, and ESPN channels. Specifically, men’s games are on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, while women’s games are on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, and ESPNU.
Hulu + Live TV is the best TV provider for watching March Madness because it has every tournament channel and includes ESPN Select for extra college basketball coverage. Sling TV offers a cheaper alternative to watching NCAA basketball, but you’ll need an digital antenna to watch games that air on ABC and CBS.
Speaking of antennas, you can avoid a monthly TV subscription and watch select matchups games over the air. All you need is an antenna strong enough to pick up your local ABC and CBS stations.
Watch the NCAA Basketball Tournament FAQ
Can I watch March Madness for free?
Yes, you can watch select March Madness games for free using a digital antenna. Some games in the men’s tournament will air on CBS, while ABC will broadcast parts of the women’s tournament.
Where can I watch the NCAA Final?
CBS and TBS alternate annually as the exclusive broadcasters of the men’s Final Four and NCAA Championship Game. TBS gets the even years while CBS has the odd ones—meaning CBS will air this season’s final rounds in April 2026. The women’s National Championship Game will air on ABC in 2026.
Is there an app to watch March Madness?
Yes, the NCAA March Madness Live app has every tournament game, plus replays. But after a free three-hour preview, you’ll need to log in with your cable, satellite, or live TV streaming provider info. The app is available on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast with Google TV, and Roku devices.
Can you watch March Madness on HBO Max?
Yes, HBO Max streams all March Madness games that air on TBS, TNT, and truTV through its Standard and Premium plans.
Are there fantasy leagues for March Madness?
Yes, many fantasy sports outlets offer bracket challenges during the men’s and women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments. ESPN Fantasy Sports, DraftKings, and Yahoo Fantasy Sports are the more popular fantasy platforms, but you can also sign up for different challenges and pick’em games on the NCAA’s website.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com sports editor, Taylor Kujawa, spent over eight hours researching and testing the best ways to watch the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Like the single-elimination tournament, he put TV providers head to head to determine the ideal viewing options. He based his provider recommendations on channel availability, pricing, and ease of use.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
Disclaimer
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Amazon.com price as of 7/25/25 11:20 a.m. CT. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.
