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By Anne Erickson
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If you're wondering, "When Does March Madness Start?" then we have the answer.
Chances are, you're counting down the days until you can get your bracket in order and go up against all your friends for bragging rights in the 2026 March Madness tournament.
It's officially March, and even though the tournament is still a few days away, it's time to start preparing now.
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When Does March Madness Start in 2026?
March Madness officially starts with selections on Sunday, March 15. Games begin with the First Four on Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18. Then, games run through the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 4 and April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
When Is Selection Sunday for March Madness?
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Selection Sunday is on Sunday, March 15. Dayton, Ohio, at UD Arena. Selection Sunday is the date when participants are selected, seeded, placed and announced.
"The 68-team brackets for the men's and women's NCAA DI basketball tournaments will be revealed during selection shows," the NCAA states.
The History of March Madness
The first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament took place in 1939 with just eight teams. Oregon is the first NCAA tournament champion, and they beat Ohio State for the title, according to NCAA research.
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The NCAA tournament field went to 16 teams in 1951, and then it went to 32 in 1975 and 64 teams in 1985.
Throughout the years, games were added to the schedule. An opening-round game debuted in 2001. Then, three more games were added to that round in 2011 for the first First Four to take the tournament to its current size of 68 teams.
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The term "March Madness," according to the NCAA, "was first used in reference to basketball by an Illinois high school official, Henry V. Porter, in 1939. March Madness wouldn't become associated with the NCAA tournament until Brent Musberger used it during coverage of the 1982 tournament."
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