How to watch March Madness: live stream the 2023 National Championship Game online and on TV

Watch March Madness 2023
(Image credit: Getty Images / Jamie Schwaberow)

Watch March Madness live stream

You can watch tonight's March Madness final on CBS and Paramount+ (use code PICARD for a 30-day FREE trial). Use ExpressVPN to access your local stream from overseas. Basketball fans can watch a March Madness live stream on TSN in Canada, BT Sport in the UK, and Kayo Sports in Australia. Full details on how to watch Uconn vs San Diego and the best deals just below.

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Dates: Tuesday, March 14 - Monday, April 3
TV channels: CBS (US)
Watch free: Paramount+ FREE trial (US) | Kayo FREE trial (AUS)
Use ExpressVPN to watch any stream

March Madness Final

Monday April 3, 2023

  • No. 5 San Diego State vs No. 4 Uconn | 9:20 pm ET | CBS / Paramount+

March Madness 2023 preview

March Madness has certainly been a wild ride. The Final Four are now the final two: Uconn vs San Diego. The National Championship game tips off tonight and you're all invited to see the finale of the NCAA basketball bracket bonanza!

As expected, the the San Diego Aztecs defeated The Owls 72-71 in the Final Four to earn a shot at the National title. Lamont Butler's last second shot made the win even sweeter. 

Tournament favourites the Uconn Huskies has a much easier time of it, beating all five opponents by comfortable double-digit margins to reach Monday's National Championship showdown.

The Aztecs have the mettle to overcome an early deficit. They've found themselves behind for more than 75 minutes since the Sweet 16, and Butler's buzzer-beating finish at the weekend will have given San Diego a huge boost in confidence. 

That said, Dan Hurley's Uconn carry an air of invincibility onto the hardcourt. And with Adama Sanogo leading the Huskies impressive scoring with an average of 17.2 points, the junior forward will be tough to outscore.

Tipoff at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, is set for 9.20 pm ET / 2.20am BST. The action will be live on CBS and the Huskies are 7-point favorites to beat the Aztecs.

March Madness, officially the Men's NCAA Division I basketball tournament, is the pinnacle of college sports, an event that casts the nation under its spell for three glorious weeks of wall-to-wall hoops hoopla.

Read on for details on how to watch the final 2023 March Madness live stream online from anywhere.


March Madness free stream

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The remaining March Madness game – the National Championship final – is on CBS. 

Streaming service Paramount Plus will be showing every CBS March Madness 2023 game and you can get a <a href="https://paramountplus.qflm.net/c/221109/175360/3065?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paramountplus.com%2F" data-link-merchant="paramountplus.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">30-day free trial of Paramount Plus with the code 'PICARD' (offer ends April 30).

Outside the US? For those away from home, remember that you can <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Fgo%2Fncaa-march-madness" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="paramountplus.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">use a VPN to access Paramount Plus from abroad.

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How to watch a March Madness: live stream in the US without cable

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In the US, CBS is showing tonight's National Championship game.

Watch March Madness 2023 without cable

If you haven't got CBS on cable, you can watch the final games of March Madness via an over-the-top streaming service instead. 

Of the many options, <a href="https://www.techradar.com/news/hulu-with-live-tv-explained" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"">Hulu with Live TV is the most fully-featured, as it includes CBS,  TBS, TNT and TruTV.

A subscription costs $69.99 per month, and grants access to more than 85 premium TV channels, as well as Hulu's entire streaming library, <a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/disney-plus-review" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"">Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.

For <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-6361382-15600606?sid=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https://www.directv.com/shop/satellite/entertainment-package" data-link-merchant="directv.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">$64.99 you can sign up to DirecTV too which also offers all the channels you need, as does YouTube TV which comes in at the same price.

If you subscribe to Hulu, DirecTV or any other US streaming service and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN as outlined below - <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Fgo%2Fncaa-march-madness" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="directv.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best.

How to watch March Madness 2023 from outside your country

If you try to watch 2023 March Madness coverage from anywhere outside your home country, you'll soon find a problem - geo-blocking. That's where your home broadcaster prevents you from watching your usual feed from abroad. It's a common problem for sports fans all over the world. 

By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it's back at home.

Use a VPN to watch a March Madness live stream from anywhere

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<a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Fgo%2Fbest-vpn-for-streaming-sports" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"">ExpressVPN - get the world's best VPN
We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and Apple mobiles.

Sign up for an annual plan now and get an <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Foffer%2Frecommended-deal" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"">extra 3 months absolutely FREE. And if you change your mind within the first 30 days, let them know and they'll give you your money back without a quibble.

<a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Fgo%2Fbest-vpn-for-streaming-sports" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">- Try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30 days

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How to watch March Madness in Ireland

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ESPN Player offers access to March Madness 2023 in Ireland, UK and much of Europe, as well as a host of other American sports.

A monthly pass costs just £9.99 or you can sign up for a year for £59.49. 

Outside of Ireland? Watch March Madness 2023 online just like you would at home <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Fgo%2Fncaa-march-madness" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">with the help of a quality VPN.

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How to watch March Madness 2023: live stream college basketball for FREE in Australia

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In Australia, March Madness is being shown on ESPN, which is available through Foxtel. Subscribers can also stream tonight's 2023 National Championship game via the <a href="https://foxtel-au.sjv.io/c/338476/985875/12973?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxtel.com.au%2Ffoxtel-go.html" data-link-merchant="foxtel-au.sjv.io"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Foxtel Go app. 

<a href="https://goto.kayosports.com.au/c/338476/515039/8808?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fkayosports.com.au%2F" data-link-merchant="goto.kayosports.com.au"" data-link-merchant="foxtel-au.sjv.io"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Kayo Sports, which is an ideal option for those who don't want the commitment of a lengthy (and pricey) contract, will be live streaming the action.

Kayo lets you stream on one device with its $25 per month One plan, two devices with its $30 per month Basic plan, and three devices with its $35 Premium plan. All of them come with a <a href="https://goto.kayosports.com.au/c/338476/515039/8808?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fkayosports.com.au%2F" data-link-merchant="goto.kayosports.com.au"" data-link-merchant="goto.kayosports.com.au"" data-link-merchant="foxtel-au.sjv.io"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">FREE 7-day trial.

Kayo also gives you access to over 50 other sports including the NFL, cricket, NRL, F1... the list goes on! Handy if you don't want to go all out on Fox.

Don't forget, you can take your March Madness coverage abroad with you as well. For those wanting to watch home coverage of sports from overseas, <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Fgo%2Fbest-vpn-for-streaming-sports" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="goto.kayosports.com.au"" data-link-merchant="goto.kayosports.com.au"" data-link-merchant="foxtel-au.sjv.io"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">a good VPN is what you need.

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March Madness live stream: how to watch college basketball in the UK

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Basketball fans in the UK can watch <a href="https://www.espnplayer.com/packages" data-link-merchant="espnplayer.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">March Madness on ESPN Player which is showing every single game of the tournament on TV and online. It's £9.99 for a month pass of £59.49 for the year.

You can also watch March Madness 2023 on BT Sport through BT TV, <a href="https://www.techradar.com/news/sky-tv-packages-deals-bundles-offers" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="espnplayer.com"">Sky TV or <a href="https://www.techradar.com/broadband/virgin-broadband-deals" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="espnplayer.com"">Virgin Media. For the full lowdown, check out our guide to the best <a href="https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/bt-sport-deals-packages-offers" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="espnplayer.com"">BT Sport deals, offers, and packages.

A more flexible option is <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=3041&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bt.com%2Fsport%2Fmonthly-pass" data-link-merchant="bt.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="espnplayer.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">BT's £30 Monthly Pass, which gets you access to everything BT Sport has to offer without a long-term commitment.

That includes Champions League, Premier League, Serie A and Europa League football, UFC, Premiership Rugby and the European Rugby Champions Cup, international cricket, MotoGP, Major League Baseball, and plenty more.

If you find yourself outside the UK and want to watch March Madness like you would at home, don't worry about geo-blocks on your account – simply <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Fgo%2Fbest-vpn-for-streaming-sports" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="bt.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="espnplayer.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">grab a VPN and follow the instructions above to live stream the action. 

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How to watch March Madness 2023: live stream NCAA basketball in Canada

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In Canada, you can watch today's March Madness finale live on TSN.

If you get TSN as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider for access to a March Madness live stream. 

If you don't have cable, you can subscribe to TSN on a streaming-only basis from CA$19.99 a month or $199.90 each year.

If you decide to subscribe or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go - just <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Foffer%2Frecommended-deal" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"">try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days and follow the instructions above.

2023 March Madness dates and schedule

2023 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Monday, April 3

March Madness seeds and regions 2023

West Regional

  1. Kansas
  2. UCLA
  3. Gonzaga
  4. Connecticut
  5. Saint Mary's
  6. TCU
  7. Northwestern
  8. Arkansas
  9. Illinois
  10. Boise State
  11. Arizona State/Nevada
  12. VCU
  13. Iona
  14. Grand Canyon
  15. UNC Asheville
  16. Howard

East Regional

  1. Purdue
  2. Marquette
  3. Kansas State
  4. Tennessee
  5. Duke
  6. Kentucky
  7. Michigan State
  8. Memphis
  9. Florida Atlantic
  10. USC
  11. Providence
  12. Oral Roberts
  13. Louisiana
  14. Montana State
  15. Vermont
  16. Texas Southern/Fairleigh Dickinson

South Regional

  1. Alabama
  2. Arizona
  3. Baylor
  4. Virginia
  5. San Diego State
  6. Creighton
  7. Missouri
  8. Maryland
  9. West Virginia
  10. Utah State
  11. North Carolina State
  12. Charleston
  13. Furman
  14. UC Santa Barbara
  15. Princeton
  16. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi/Southeast Missouri State

Midwest Regional

  1. Houston
  2. Texas
  3. Xavier
  4. Indiana
  5. Miami (FL)
  6. Iowa State
  7. Texas A&M
  8. Iowa
  9. Auburn
  10. Penn State
  11. Mississippi State/Pittsburgh
  12. Drake
  13. Kent State
  14. Kennesaw State
  15. Colgate
  16. Northern Kentucky

2023 March Madness venues

The 2023 National Championship Game will take place at NRG Stadium, the 72,220-seat home of the NFL's Houston Texans, while other big-name venues include Madison Square Garden, T-Mobile Arena, Amway Center, Nationwide Arena, Ball Arena and Wells Fargo Center.

The full list of venues follows:

  • University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, Ohio
  • Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
  • Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Alabama
  • Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa
  • Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
  • MVP Arena, Albany, New York
  • Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
  • Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
  • Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
  • T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky
  • T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
  • NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Aatif Sulleyman

Aatif is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in the UK. He’s written about technology, science and politics for publications including Gizmodo, The Independent, Trusted Reviews and Newsweek, but focuses on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: sport and penny-pinching.