NCAA expected to expand tournament to 76 teams

According to his report, the newly proposed format would automatically send 52 teams to the first round, while the other 24 teams would play 12 single-elimination games. The winners of those games would secure the final 12 spots in the traditional 64-team bracket.

While the NCAA will need to collaborate with its television and steaming partners, expansion is almost certainly a guarantee and could happen before the 2027 NCAA Tournament.

A source reportedly told Dellenger that expansion “will happen” barring any unforeseen circumstances in the coming days.

If completed, the move would mark the tournament’s first expansion since 2011, when it grew from 65 to 68 teams. It would also send eight current main bracket teams into that opening round, potentially making March Madness even more chaotic than it already is.

James Parker contributed to this story.