- March Madness 2026: Tuesday, March 17 → Monday, April 6
- Best free trial: YouTube TV (10-days)
- Unlock your free stream with NordVPN (save 74%)
There's no use resisting March Madness, even if the broadcasting arrangements are a touch maddening. Although comprehensive coverage is available in the US, games are spread across four separate channels: TBS, TNT, TruTV and CBS.
However, getting your fix needn't be as difficult nor as expensive as you might suspect. Numerous cable-replacement services carry all four channels – and some of them allow new customers to take advantage of a free trial, amongst other perks.
So whether you're a Duke, Arizona, Michigan or Florida fan expecting your team to go all the way to the National Championship, a seasoned bracketologist, or a romantic holding out for a Cinderella story, we’ll walk you through the best free trials for watching March Madness 2026.
How to watch March Madness 2026 free trials from anywhere
Although free trials are available to watch March Madness 2026, they're only readily available to US residents.
A VPN is handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual service. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with a 74% discount and Amazon Gift Card thrown in on some plans.
How to watch March Madness 2026 with free trials
In the US, March Madness coverage is split between TBS, TNT, TruTV and CBS.
If you don't have the channels on cable, a free trial is available on each of the following cord-cutting services:
March Madness 2026 schedule
(All times ET)
FIRST FOUR
Tuesday, March 17
6.40pm – (16) UMBC vs (16) Howard | TruTV
9.15pm – (11) Texas vs (11) NC State | TruTV
Wednesday, March 18
6.40pm – (16) Prairie View A&M vs (16) Lehigh | TruTV
9.15pm – (11) Miami (Ohio) vs (11) SMU | TruTV
FIRST ROUND
Thursday, March 19
12.15pm – (9) TCU vs (8) Ohio State | CBS
12.40pm – (13) Troy vs (4) Nebraska | TruTV
1.30pm – (11) South Florida vs (6) Louisville | TNT
1.50pm – (12) High Point vs (5) Wisconsin | TBS
2.50pm – (16) Siena vs (1) Duke | CBS
3.15pm – (12) McNeese vs (5) Vanderbilt | TruTV
4.05pm – (14) North Dakota State vs (3) Michigan State | TNT
4.25pm – (9) Hawaii vs (8) Arkansas (TBS)
6.50pm – (11) VCU vs (6) North Carolina | TNT
7.10pm – (16) UMBC/Howard vs (1) Michigan | CBS
7.25pm – (11) Texas/NC State vs (6) BYU | TBS
7.35pm – (10) Texas A&M vs (7) St. Mary's | TruTV
9.25pm – (14) Penn vs (3) Illinois | TNT
9.45pm – (9) Saint Louis vs (8) Georgia | CBS
10pm – (14) Kennesaw State vs (3) Gonzaga | TBS
10.10pm – (15) Idaho vs (2) Houston | TruTV
Friday, March 20
12.15pm – (10) Santa Clara vs (7) Kentucky | CBS
12.40pm – (12) Akron vs (5) Texas Tech | TruTV
1.35pm – (16) LIU vs (1) Arizona | TNT
1.50pm – (14) Wright State vs (3) Virginia | TBS
2.50pm – (15) Tennessee State vs (2) Iowa State | CBS
3.15pm – (13) Hofstra vs (4) Alabama | TruTV
4.10pm – (9) Utah State vs (8) Villanova | TNT
4.25pm – (11) Miami (Ohio)/SMU vs (6) Tennessee | TBS
6.50pm – (9) Iowa vs (8) Clemson | TNT
7.10pm – (12) Northern Iowa vs (5) St. John's | CBS
7.25pm – (10) UCF vs (7) UCLA | TBS
7.35pm – (15) Queens (NC) vs (2) Purdue | TruTV
9.25pm – (16) Prairie View/Lehigh vs (1) Florida | TNT
9.45pm – (13) Cal Baptist vs (4) Kansas | CBS
10pm – (15) Furman vs (2) UConn | TBS
10.10pm – (10) Missouri vs (7) Miami (FL) | TruTV
SECOND ROUND
Saturday, March 21 – Sunday, March 22 | TBS, TruTV, CBS
SWEET SIXTEEN
Thursday, March 26 – Friday, March 27 | TBS, CBS
ELITE EIGHT
Saturday, March 28 – Sunday, March 29 | TBS, CBS
FINAL FOUR
Saturday, April 4 | TBS/TNT/TruTV
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Monday, April 6 | TBS/TNT/TruTV
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