The Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments will expand from 68 to 76 teams beginning with the 2027 tournaments.
The move adds eight teams to each field and creates a larger opening round before the traditional 64-team bracket begins. The change gives more bubble teams a path into March Madness, and it gives Miami's men's and women's programs a little more margin for error in the future.
NEW: The D-I men's and women's basketball committees have officially voted to expand the NCAA tournament to 76 teams, @MattNorlander reports. https://t.co/qR2zGzwFbW pic.twitter.com/6OsryvKW2k
— On3 (@On3) May 7, 2026
NCAA expands March Madness to 76 teams
The NCAA is replacing the current First Four setup with a 12-game March Madness Opening Round. The men's tournament will begin Tuesday, March 16, 2027, with games in Dayton, Ohio, and a second city that has not been announced yet. The women's Opening Round will be played March 17-18, 2027, on the campuses of 12 of the top 16 seeds selected to host.
The winners will move into the same 64-team bracket that fans are used to seeing. The men's round of 64 will still begin Thursday and Friday, while the women's round of 64 will still begin Friday and Saturday. The regional rounds and Final Four dates are unchanged.
The new 76-team bracket will still include an automatic qualifier from every conference, plus at-large teams selected by the men's and women's basketball committees. The lowest-seeded 12 automatic qualifiers will play in six Opening Round games. The 12 lowest-seeded at-large teams will play in the other six.
For Miami's men, Jai Lucas' first team did not need a bigger bracket. The Miami Hurricanes went 26-9 and made the program's 13th NCAA tournament appearance. But, the larger field could help in the future, if Miami can't match last season.
The women's tournament expansion might be even more relevant for Miami. The Hurricanes went 18-15 in 2025-26 and played in the WBIT after missing the NCAA tournament.
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