March is when college sports crowns its champions, and ESPN is going all in. Beginning this month, the network is rolling out more than 650 hours of live coverage across 20 NCAA winter championships.
Everything from women’s basketball and wrestling to gymnastics, hockey, and swimming to screens across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, and ESPN+. With championship moments happening almost daily through March and April, everything will be available in the ESPN app, which serves as the central hub for fans who want to follow every bracket, buzzer-beater, and title-clinching performance.
2026 Champions Are Made on ESPN
If you care about college sports beyond the marquee men’s tournament and want to follow mid-majors, Division II/III storylines, women’s sports, wrestling, or gymnastics, 2026 is one of the deepest championship slates ESPN has put on in years. The network is packaging selection specials, documentary-style “Game On” features, synchronized studio shows, and tons of on-demand replays so fans don’t miss the defining moments. Highlights include:
- 650+ hours of live championship coverage across 20 NCAA winter championships (men’s and women’s events, multiple divisions).
- Coverage begins with the inaugural NCAA Women’s College Wrestling Championship (Mar 6–7) — mat-by-mat streams on ESPN+.
- Major events (including the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship title game) will air on ABC and ESPN’s linear networks; selection shows and studio build-ups are scheduled across ESPN channels.
- NCAA Women’s Basketball selection special on March 15, regional games across ESPN networks, and the title game on ABC/ESPN.
- Men’s Ice Hockey regionals, semis, and the championship are spread across ESPN platforms, with pre-championship studio programming.
- 2026 Selection Shows:
- NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Selection Special – Sunday, March 8 at 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPNU
- NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Special – Sunday, March 15 at 8 p.m. on ESPN
- WBIT Selection Special – Sunday, March 15 at 9 p.m. on ESPN+
- NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Selection Special – Sunday, March 22 at 3 p.m. on ESPNU
- NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Selection Special – Monday, March 23 at noon on ESPNU
- NIT Preview Show – Tuesday, March 17 at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN2
From the Hardwood to the Diamond: Growth, Games & More Access
The winter slate sits on top of a string of recent deals and rollouts that expanded ESPN’s college offerings and streaming depth. On the Road to March Madness, 240+ women’s college basketball tournament games are streaming on the ESPN app and its linear networks during Champ Week, doubling down on its commitment to women’s sports.
Recently, the World Wide Leader re-upped with the Horizon League, adding 500+ live mid-major events to its streaming lineup, broadening access to conferences and undercovered schools. Off the hardwood, it streamed +4,000 college baseball games, as teams compete on the Road to Omaha. The network has also expanded its footprint beyond the NCAA, renewing its rights deal with NJCAA for the 2025–26 season.
Put simply, the volume and variety of sports that subscribers can watch this spring are a direct result of rights deals and renewals of its streaming-first push, stacking hundreds (then thousands) of college events across its linear and digital platforms. Starting at $12.99 per month, ESPN Select gives you access to thousands of hours of live events, exclusives, ESPN+ content, and much more. Upgrade to ESPN Unlimited for $29.99 per month, and unlock everything ESPN has to offer, including all of its linear networks, streaming exclusives, WWE PLEs, and the full lineup of NCAA Winter Championships.
2025‑26 NCAA Winter Championships Schedule on ESPN Networks
| Date(s) | Championship | Network(s) |
| Mar 6-7 | Women’s Wrestling | ESPN+ – First Round-Championship ESPNU – Championship (Tape Delay – Mar 8) |
| Mar 13-14 | Men’s & Women’s Indoor Track & Field | ESPN+ – Prelims/Finals ESPNU – Championship (Tape Delay – Mar 15) |
| Mar 18-21 | Women’s Swimming & Diving | ESPN+ – Prelims/Finals ESPNU – Championship (Tape Delay – Mar 25) |
| Mar 19-21 | Men’s Wrestling | ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU – First Round-Championship ESPN+ – Individual Mat Streams & MatCast |
| Mar 19-21 | Div. III Women’s Basketball | ESPN+ – Semifinals & Championship ESPNU – Championship (Tape Delay – Mar 24) |
| Mar 12-22 | Women’s Ice Hockey | ESPN+ – Regionals & Semifinals ESPNU – Semifinals (Tape Delay – Mar 21 & 22) ESPNU – Championship |
| Mar 20-22 | Fencing (Men’s & Women’s) | ESPN+ – Championships ESPNU – Championship (Tape Delay – Apr 1) |
| Mar 23-28 | Div. II Women’s Basketball | ESPN+ – Quarterfinals-Championship ESPNU – Championship (Tape Delay – Mar 29) |
| Mar 25-28 | Div. II Men’s Basketball | ESPN+ – Quarterfinals-Semifinals ESPNU – Semifinals (Tape Delay – Mar 28) |
| Mar 25-28 | Men’s Swimming & Diving | ESPN+ – Prelims/Finals ESPNU – Championship (Tape Delay – Mar 30) |
| Mar 19-Apr 1 | Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT) | ESPN+ – First Round, Second Round, Quarterfinals ESPNU – Semifinals ESPN2 – Championship |
| Mar 17-Apr 5 | National Invitation Tournament (NIT) | ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN+ – Early Rounds ESPN – Semifinals ESPN2 – Championship |
| Mar 18-Apr 5 | NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship | ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPNEWS – Early Rounds ABC/ESPN – Regional Semifinals & Regional Finals ESPN/ESPN2– National Semifinals ABC/ESPN – National Championship Game |
| Mar 19-Apr 5 | Div. III Men’s Basketball | ESPN+ – Quarterfinals-Championship ESPNU – Championship (Tape Delay – Apr 5) |
| Mar 26-Apr 11 | Men’s Ice Hockey | ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN+ – Regional Semifinals & Finals ESPN2 – Semifinals ESPN – Championship |
| Apr 11 | Women’s Bowling | ESPNU – Championship |
| Apr 1-18 | Women’s Gymnastics | ESPN+ – Regionals ESPN2/ESPN+ – Semifinals ABC/ESPN+ – Championship |
| Apr 17-18 | Men’s Gymnastics | ESPN+ – Semifinals ESPN2 – Championship |