How the 2027 men's 76-team bracket works
Starting with the 2027 NCAA men's tournament, the field grows from 68 to 76 teams. Office bracket pools still use 63 picks on the main tree; twelve slots are filled by opening-round winners.
Schedule snapshot (ET)
- Selection Sunday: March 14, 2027
- Opening round: March 16–17, 2027 (twelve games)
- Round of 64: March 18–19, 2027
- Final Four: April 3, 2027 · Championship: April 5, 2027
Bracket math
There are 75 total games (12 opening + 63 main). Players still make 63 picks. On Selection Sunday, twelve Round of 64 lines show two possible teams; after the opening round, each line becomes a single team.