The NCAA is closing in on a pivotal decision to expand its men’s and women’s Division I basketball tournaments from 68 to 76 teams. This initiative has been discussed over the past year and is anticipated to receive official approval around mid-May.
If the plan is finalized, it will be put into effect for the 2027 season.
This expansion introduces eight additional at-large bids for each tournament. Under the proposed format, 52 teams will gain direct access to the primary bracket that kicks off on Thursday with 64 teams. The other 24 will comprise a blend of automatic qualifiers and at-large selections, participating in an extended opening round with 12 games slated across Tuesday and Wednesday at two designated sites.
The 12 successful contenders from this round will join the 52 seeded teams, leading to the traditional 64-team single-elimination tournament.
This new method will replace the existing “first four” play-in games. As noted by a source familiar with developments, the First Four format is essentially set to be discontinued, as reported by CBS Sports.
Expectations suggest that all No. 16 seeds, along with about half of the No. 15 seeds, will participate in the opening round, alongside No. 11, No. 12, and possibly some No. 13 seeds, depending on their performance. The additional games will also feature newly introduced at-large teams against traditional qualifiers.
Since 2011, the current 68-team structure has included 32 automatic qualifiers and 36 at-large bids. In the First Four, eight teams—typically the lowest automatic qualifiers and last four at-large selections—compete in Dayton, Ohio, to claim a spot in the round of 64.
The four victorious teams then progress to challenge the top 60 seeds in the subsequent round. The upcoming 76-team model will maintain the 32 automatic bids while enhancing the chances for at-large selections, especially for major conference teams often overlooked in previous selections.
Last week, NCAA representatives met with media partners CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery regarding contract details, although formal agreements are still pending. Approval from multiple committees, including men’s and women’s basketball committees, is necessary before the expansion is confirmed.
Nevertheless, insiders suggest these procedural approvals are merely formalities. As one anonymous source indicated to ESPN, “They have what they need to move forward.”
