With the Super Bowl behind us, we are now just weeks away from March – a month that brings the greatest playoffs in American sports: the men’s and women’s college basketball national championship tournaments, better known as March Madness.
March Madness gathers 68 men’s and women’s teams for single-elimination stakes, with only six games separating each team from eternal glory. The breakout stars, the Cinderella stories, the potential to witness the first ever perfect bracket, all of it combines to make a mouth-watering format that keeps fans on the edge of their seats.
So, when does it start? When will we be graced with the next edition of this iconic tournament? Will the UConn Huskies win their third-straight men’s championship, becoming just the second program in history to accomplish such a feat (UCLA, 1967-73)? Will Dawn Staley guide South Carolina to its third women’s title in four years?
Here’s everything to know about the key dates to watch out for regarding the 2025 March Madness tournaments:
BRACKETOLOGY:Kansas, Kentucky continue tumble down projected men’s field
When is Selection Sunday?
The Sunday before the tournament kicks off is traditionally when fans get to learn which teams have earned the right to compete for a national title. This year, both the men’s and women’s brackets will be revealed on March 16, two days before the start of the men’s tournament and three days before the women’s.
Full men’s March Madness schedule
- Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 16
- First Four: March 18-19
- First round: March 20-21
- Second round: March 22-23
- Sweet 16: March 27-28
- Elite Eight: March 29-30
- Final Four: April 5
- Championship: April 7
Where will men’s tournament games be played?
- Both the Final Four and championship games will be held at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
- First Four games will be held in Dayton, Ohio.
- First- and second-round games will be held in Lexington, Kentucky; Providence, Rhode Island; Wichita, Kansas; Denver; Seattle; Cleveland; Milwaukee and Raleigh, North Carolina.
- Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games will be played in Atlanta, Indianapolis, San Francisco and Newark, New Jersey.
Full women’s March Madness schedule
- Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 16
- First Four: March 19-20
- First round: March 21-22
- Second round: March 23-24
- Sweet 16: March 28-29
- Elite Eight: March 30-31
- Final Four: April 4
- Championship: April 6
Where will women’s tournament games be played?
- The Final Four and championship games for the women’s tournaments will be held at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
- First Four, first-round and second-round games will played at on-campus sites to be determined.
- The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight contests will be held in two locations: Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama and Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
