The field of 68 is down to the Elite Eight, and the battle for a spot in the Final Four is set to begin. March Madness is heading to its conclusion as the competition has now narrowed down to the top 16 teams that are willing to secure the ultimate prize in men’s college basketball. With some of the top-tier teams like Houston, Arkansas, and UNC already eliminated, the tournament has now further intensified.

So what does the Elite 8 schedule look like at the moment, and what are the games that we have at hand? Let’s check out how the games line up and where we can watch them.

When Is the 2026 Men’s Elite Eight? Full Schedule & Dates

The 2026 NCAA Men’s Elite Eight will be played on March 28–29, 2026, with two games each day. Saturday features the South and West Regionals, while Sunday hosts the Midwest and East Regionals. Venues include Houston’s Toyota Center, San Jose’s SAP Center, Chicago’s United Center, and Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena.

Saturday, March 28, 2026

South Regional (Houston – Toyota Center)

Game: Illinois (No. 3) vs. Iowa (No. 9)

Tipoff: 6:09 PM ET

West Regional (San Jose – SAP Center)

Game: Arizona (No. 1) vs. Purdue (No. 2)

Tipoff: 8:49 PM ET

Sunday, March 29, 2026

Midwest Regional (Chicago – United Center)

Game: Michigan (No. 1) vs. Tennessee (No. 6)

Tipoff: 2:15 PM ET

East Regional (Washington, D.C. – Capital One Arena)

Game: Duke (No. 1) vs. UConn (No. 2)

Tipoff: 5:05 PM ET

The games have been spread across four venues that have been entrusted with carrying out the responsibility of these big-stakes games. There is the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, which is the home of the Houston Rockets.

Then you have the SAP Center in San Jose, California, which is known as the Shark Tank, where we will host the West Regionals. You have the United Center in Chicago, next to the home of the Chicago Bulls, which will be in charge of hosting the Midwest Regional.

And finally, we have the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C that is the home of the Washington Wizards and Capitals, who will be hosting the East Regional.

The regional structure has been grouped into two brackets for the Final 4, as the South and West Regions will determine the first two Final Four spots on March 28th. On the other end, you have the Midwest and East Regions, which will have their games on March 29 to determine the other two remaining spots for the Final 4.

What Are the Matchups for the Elite Eight 2026?

This year’s Elite 8 will see some terrific games being played across the country, featuring some of the best that the country has to offer. Here’s a look at the teams.

What Time Do Elite Eight Games Start?

The 2026 NCAA Men’s Elite Eight games are scheduled with staggered tip-off times in the afternoon and evening (ET). Saturday’s South and West Regionals begin at 6:09 PM ET and 8:49 PM ET, while Sunday’s Midwest and East Regionals tip off at 2:15 PM ET and 5:05 PM ET.

Saturday, March 28, 2026

Elite 8 timings (ET)

Saturday, March 28, 2026

South Regional (Houston – Toyota Center)

Illinois (No. 3) vs. Iowa (No. 9) – 6:09 PM ET (TBS/truTV)

West Regional (San Jose – SAP Center)

Arizona (No. 1) vs. Purdue (No. 2) – 8:49 PM ET (TBS/truTV)

Sunday, March 29, 2026

Midwest Regional (Chicago – United Center)

Michigan (No. 1) vs. Tennessee (No. 6) – 2:15 PM ET (CBS)

East Regional (Washington, D.C. – Capital One Arena)

Duke (No. 1) vs. UConn (No. 2) – 5:05 PM ET (CBS)

Where to Watch March Madness 2026 Elite Eight? TV Channels & Live Stream

The 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament will be available across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. TBS/truTV(TNT Sports) will cover Saturday’s South and West Regionals. CBS Sports will cover select Elite Eight games, including Sunday’s Midwest and East Regionals.

Speaking of the announcers, they will be split between CBS and TNT Sports, ensuring national broadcast reach. There are also multiple streaming options to boot.

Paramount+ streams all games airing on CBS. Then there’s also the March Madness App, which would be streaming all the games of the tournament.DirecTV & Cable Providers also offer live TV and streaming bundles so that fans can enjoy watching March Madness.

Which Teams Are Favorites to Reach the Final Four in 2026?

Every team has a fighting chance in the tournament, and that is quite true, but then again, there are some teams that have a better chance than the others, so which ones are those? Let’s find out.

Arizona Wildcats

Arizona was even former President Barack Obama’s top pick as the one he believed could take it all the way to the finals. The Wildcats have looked defiant this year in their pursuit of the title, and the way they dissected John Calipari’s Arkansas truly shows their elite shooting and depth. Their balanced offense can be their key to victory, and this year can also prove to be Tommy Lloyd’s breakthrough coaching run. But they have Purdue ahead of them and should focus on finding a way to overpower their solid defense.

Michigan Wolverines

ESPN and Bleacher Report have already picked the Wolverines as their winners for this season. Yaxel Lendeborg’s team has been in peak form and consistent throughout the tournament, with strong guard play and rebounding. The Wolverines have also navigated the first three rounds of the NCAA championships unchallenged, beating teams by long margins.

The last to go down against them was Nate Oats, Alabama (90-77). The Wolverines are undoubtedly the Midwest’s top team at this point and can very well win this season.

Duke Blue Devils

The powerhouse of basketball in both men’s and women’s categories. Duke remains a perennial powerhouse, with depth and star talent. Duke will next face another top team in the Huskies, and that will be another marquee clash, but Duke is narrowly favored by oddsmakers and analysts.

Boasting the expected no 1 NBA draft pick for the 2026 season, Cameron Boozer Duke is a team that cannot be ignored by any means. After edging past Rick Pitino’s St John’s in their last game by an uncharacteristic small margin (80-75) they will look to avoid any tense close win situation. But against UConn, that is less than likely.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Touted as the tournament’s dark horse among the heavyweights, Illinois has held its own as the tournament has run deeper. The Cinderella team of 2026, but experts largely expect Illinois to prevail, which might seem surprising to many.

Experts feel it’s the Illini’s miserly defense that would be the reason they would find a way to outplay their opponents. With just 69.0 oppg, Illinois has been hard to penetrate for any team. Will Iowa be able to do it where most failed? Guess we will have to wait a little more to find out as March Madness rolls on towards the finale.