2027 Women's March Madness
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With the college basketball season tipping off in less than two months, the countdown to the 2027 Women’s Final Four in Columbus has officially begun. Defending national champion UCLA is reloading for another run, but they will have to hold off traditional heavyweights South Carolina and UConn, who look as dangerous as ever. Out West, a now-healthy JuJu Watkins headlines a loaded USC roster, while programs like Duke, Louisville, Vanderbilt, and Washington all look to be on the verge of a major tournament breakthrough. As the season unfolds, use this hub to track futures odds, evaluate rising draft prospects in our Stock Watch, and secure your tickets well before the official bracket drops.
2027 NCAA Women’s Tournament Format & Key Dates
A massive field of 76 teams will punch their tickets to the 2027 NCAA Tournament. The tournament officially expanded from 68 to 76 teams starting this year, adding a massive “March Madness Opening Round” to create even more madness. The field is made up of 32 teams earning automatic bids via conference championships, and 44 teams earning at-large bids from the selection committee.
- Selection Sunday (March 14): The official 76-team bracket, seeds, and regional placements are revealed to the public.
- Opening Round (March 17 – March 18): Replacing the old “First Four,” this new 12-game round features 24 teams—the 12 lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and the 12 lowest-seeded at-large teams—battling it out for a spot in the main 64-team bracket.
- First & Second Rounds (March 19 – March 22): The 64-team bracket officially begins. Unlike the men’s tournament which uses neutral sites in all rounds, the women’s tournament rewards the top teams. The top 16 overall seeds in the bracket get to host the First and Second Round games on their own home courts.
- Sweet 16 & Elite Eight Regionals (March 26 – March 29): The remaining 16 teams advance to neutral regional sites. To create a more concentrated, marquee event atmosphere, the women’s tournament uses a two-city regional format rather than four. For 2027, all Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games will be split exclusively between two buildings: Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
- Final Four & National Championship (April 2 – April 4): The last four teams standing from their region will head to Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The national semifinals tip off on Friday, April 2, culminating in the National Championship game on Sunday, April 4.
Once Selection Sunday concludes, the bracket below will update live with official matchups, game times, and series odds.
Where to Watch the 2027 NCAA Tournament
Every tournament matchup from the First Four to the National Championship will air nationally across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms as part of the NCAA’s exclusive media rights agreement with Disney and ESPN.
- Television Broadcasts: Tournament action will be split across the Disney family of networks. Early rounds and regionals will be heavily featured on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPNEWS, with select marquee weekend matchups airing on ABC.
- Live Streaming: Streaming access has been updated under ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer platform. Games broadcast on linear television can be streamed live via the ESPN App for subscribers of the ESPN Unlimited tier. Fans can also access full tournament coverage by bundling ESPN Unlimited with Disney+ and Hulu.
- The Final Four & National Championship: The national semifinals on Friday, April 2, will be broadcast in prime time on ESPN. The 2027 National Championship game on Sunday, April 4, will be broadcasted nationally on ABC.
2027 NCAA Tournament Bracket
The official 76-team field, seeds, and regional matchups will be unveiled on Selection Sunday, March 14, 2027.
Coming Selection Sunday (March 14)
Live Interactive Bracket & Upset Tracker
As soon as the committee reveals the field, this space will transform into the tournament bracket.
2027 NCAA Women’s Championship Futures Odds
Current consensus odds to win the 2027 National Championship.
Odds current as of September 14, 2026. Odds are subject to change.
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Prospect Stock Watch
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many teams qualify for the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament?
A: Starting with the 2027 tournament, a total of 76 teams qualify. The field is composed of 32 automatic qualifiers (teams that win their conference tournaments) and 44 at-large teams selected by the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee on Selection Sunday.
Q: What is the "Opening Round" and how does it work?
A: Replacing the old “First Four” format, the new March Madness Opening Round consists of 12 games featuring 24 teams: the 12 lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and the 12 lowest-seeded at-large selections. These squads compete to advance into the main 64-team bracket, which tips off immediately after.
Q: Where are the First and Second Round games hosted?
A: Unlike the men’s tournament, which uses neutral venues throughout, the women’s tournament rewards regular-season excellence. The top 16 overall national seeds (the 1 through 4 seeds in each region) earn the right to host First and Second Round games on their home campus courts, providing a major home-court advantage to start the road to the Final Four.
Q: How does the two-city regional format work for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight?
A: The NCAA uses a consolidated two-city regional format instead of four separate locations. For 2027, all Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games will be split evenly between two neutral venues: Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with each arena hosting two regional championship brackets.
Q: Where and when will the 2027 Women's Final Four be held?
A: The 2027 Women’s Final Four will take place at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The national semifinals will be played on Friday, April 2, and the National Championship game will tip off on Sunday, April 4.
2027 Regional Hubs: The Road to the Final Four
Philly: Xfinity Mobile Arena
The road to the Final Four runs through Philly.