68 teams compete in the grueling, thrilling, single-elimination NCAA Men’s DI Basketball Tournament known as March Madness. Cinderella stories will be told, and brackets will be busted as all roads lead to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the 2026 NCAA Championship Game.
From dominant performances to buzzer-beating upsets, watching this year’s tournament doesn’t have to be a hassle. This March, cord cutters have several options to stream the action on the hardwood from the First Four to next month’s Final Four and championship game without breaking the bank. Here’s everything you need to know about March Madness 2026.
When to Watch
Stay up to date with the 2026 Men’s March Madness bracket HERE
- First Four: March 17-18
- First round: March 19-20
- Second round: March 21-22
- Sweet 16: March 26-27
- Elite Eight: March 28-29-30
- Final Four: Saturday, April 4
- NCAA championship game: Monday, April 6
Paramount+ Premium and HBO Max are the streaming homes for this year’s tournament.
How to Watch March Madness 2026 Without Cable TV
CBS Sports and TNT Sports will combine to bring college hoops fans live coverage of March Madness games during the men’s tournament on CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV. From the First Four to the NCAA Tournament Championship, fans will want to have a streaming service that carries all four channels to not miss any of the action as it unfolds on the hardwood.
Where to Stream March Madness for Free
If you’ve cut the cord and are wondering where to stream March Madness for free, you’ve got a few solid options. New subscribers can take advantage of free trials from Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, Fubo, Paramount+, and YouTube TV to catch live college basketball games throughout the tournament. Just keep in mind that once the trial ends, you’ll need to cancel to avoid subscription charges. Also, you can watch March Madness for free with an antenna on CBS.
The Cheapest Ways to Stream March Madness
If your free trial period has ended and you still need a streaming service on a budget to watch the college hoops postseason, you’re in luck. With an active internet connection, Paramount+ Premium ($13.99/mo.), and HBO Max Standard ($18.49/mo.) are the cheapest ways to stream March Madness online for less than $33 per month.
HBO Max Streams TNT Sports Coverage
HBO Max is the home of all things TNT Sports, and with the Standard plan, you can watch live games on TNT, TBS, and truTV during March Madness. For only $18.49 per month ($184.99/year), you’ll get access to the full TNT Sports portfolio, including live college basketball, college football, MLB, NHL, and more sports.
Outside of sports, HBO Max offers a huge library of hit movies, iconic TV series, and more, making it a well-rounded entertainment hub.
Paramount+ Offers March Madness Games & More For As Low As $13.99 Per Month
With the Paramount+ Premium package, you can watch live CBS Sports coverage of March Madness. After your 7-day free trial, the plan is only $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year, with access to your local CBS affiliate and thousands of hours of shows and movies from Paramount’s full entertainment library. In addition to live sports, you can stream hit shows and premium content from Showtime.
Other Ways to Watch March Madness
In addition to the services above, a few other streaming services will carry live games throughout March Madness. If you’re watching on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, or another compatible device, then you can find games on Sling TV, DIRECTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV.
Find out more about each streaming platform below.
Stream March Madness on Sling TV for Under $6 With a Day Pass or Just $29.99 for the First Month
If you’re searching for a multi-channel live TV streaming service to catch March Madness, Sling TV has you covered. Sling offers unmatched flexibility with short-term passes or traditional monthly options. Sling doesn’t offer CBS, but does carry TNT, TBS, and truTV in its lineups.
Right now, new subscribers can get 50% off their first month when they sign up for the Sling Orange & Blue plan for as low as $29.99. Usually, $60.99 per month, the plan includes TNT, truTV, and TBS, giving you access to live March Madness games with over 35 popular entertainment, news, and lifestyle channels.
Sling Orange offers March Madness coverage on TNT and TBS in a 32+ channel lineup. The plan is available for $45.99 per month, or in Pass options: $4.99 for 1 Day, $9.99 for 3 Days, or $14.99 for 7 Days.
To watch games on truTV, you’ll need Sling Blue, or if you subscribe to Sling Orange, you can add truTV with the Entertainment Extra add-on, which includes 10+ additional networks for just $6 per month.
This 50% discount on your first month won’t last forever, so sign up now before the shot clock runs out. After the promo period, Sling Orange and Sling Blue plans return to the $60.99 monthly rate. All plans include 50 hours of DVR storage, so you can record March Madness games and other favorites to watch anytime.
How to Watch March Madness Live With DIRECTV
As mentioned earlier, DIRECTV offers a 5-day free trial for new subscribers, which makes it a viable option to test the service and watch March Madness games for free. Enjoy live games on TNT, TBS, truTV and CBS, and choose from a varied selection of plans, each including Multiview, unlimited cloud DVR, and unlimited streams on your home network.
The MySports genre pack features men’s NCAA Tournament games on TNT, truTV, TBS, and, in many markets, CBS, as part of a 20+ channel lineup for only $69.99 per month.
The Entertainment plan features CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV in a lineup of over 90 channels, and you can get your first month for $84.99. After the introductory discount, the price increases to $89.99 per month.
For the best value, you can upgrade to the Choice plan, and lock in the first month for as low as $59.99 per month (normally $114.99 per month). This promotional offer drops the intro price by $35, and unlocks top sports networks, including CBS Sports Network, NFL Network, MLB Network, FanDuel Sports Networks, and other top RSNs, NHL Network, NBA TV, ACC Network, and a 125+ channel linuep.
Stream March Madness and 100s of Other Sports With Fubo
Fubo’s Pro plan gives you 200+ live channels and 100s of live sports, including college basketball during March Madness. Fubo carries CBS, however, it doesn’t carry TNT, truTV, and TBS, so you’ll have to find another option to watch games airing on the TNT Sports networks. With Fubo Pro, you can record your favorite events, shows, sports, movies, and more with unlimited hours of Cloud DVR space, and you can watch on up to 10 screens at once.
If you want to try before subscribing, Fubo offers a free trial as well. New subscribers can also get $25 off their first month after the trial period, bringing the Pro plan down to $48.99, then $73.99 per month after.
How to Watch March Madness With Hulu + Live TV
Comprehensive coverage of March Madness 2026 is available to stream with Hulu + Live TV. With over 95 live channels, fans won’t miss any of the action on TBS, TNT, truTV, and CBS, as the platform will carry every single game from the First Four to the Final buzzer during the national title game. For only $89.99 per month, a Hulu + Live TV subscription includes unlimited DVR space, Hulu’s growing library of content, classic shows and movies on Disney+, and thousands of hours of live sports on ESPN+.
Watch March Madness Live With YouTube TV
Known as one of the best overall streaming platforms due to its channel lineup of over 100 channels, YouTube TV is another stellar option to stream March Madness. For only $82.99 per month, you can stream college basketball’s biggest postseason tournament on TNT, TBS, truTV, CBS, and much more. With Multiview and unlimited DVR, you can record the fallout and rewatch it later as well.
Stream March Madness With Sign-On Authentication
Another option to stream the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament during March Madness is by using TV Everywhere sign-in authentication. Whether using the apps or websites, you can watch the action on the go or any compatible device by using the TNT, TBS, CBS, TruTV apps/websites or via the NCAA’s March Madness Live app/site.
Roku, in partnership with TNT, has launched a March Madness hub with comprehensive coverage.