For the 31st consecutive year, ESPN stands as the exclusive broadcaster for the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament. This marks another thrilling edition of March Madness on the women’s side, with ESPN’s family of networks—ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPNEWS—providing comprehensive coverage of all 67 games.
The Road to the Final Four on ESPN
The action kicks off on Wednesday, March 18, with the First Four, and every matchup is available for live streaming on the ESPN App with a qualifying subscription, ensuring fans never miss a moment regardless of their location.The tournament builds to an exhilarating climax with the NCAA Women’s Final Four on April 3 (semifinals) and April 5 (national championship) at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
For the fourth straight year, the championship game airs on ABC, beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 5, preceded by a special one-hour pregame show packed with expert analysis and highlights. Last year’s title game drew an impressive 8.5 million viewers, ranking as the third-most-watched in tournament history—a testament to the growing popularity and excitement surrounding women’s college basketball.
The early rounds promise high-stakes drama right from the start. As the overall No. 1 seed, the undefeated UConn Huskies (who finished the regular season and conference play dominantly) face UTSA on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC. Other marquee matchups featuring top seeds include No. 1 Texas hosting the winner of Missouri State/SFA on Friday at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN, No. 1 South Carolina taking on the winner of Southern U/Samford on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on ABC, and No. 1 UCLA battling Cal Baptist on Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN. These games highlight the depth of talent across the bracket, with powerhouses ready to make deep runs toward Phoenix.
The First Four takes place March 18-19 at on-campus sites: Durham (Duke), Austin (Texas), Columbia (South Carolina), and Iowa City (Iowa). These play-in games set the stage for the first and second rounds (March 20-23), hosted by top-16 seeds on their home courts, adding an extra layer of intensity and home-court advantage.
ESPN’s broadcast teams
ESPN elevates the viewing experience with elite studio coverage. Two powerhouse teams anchor the studio programming from the First Four through the Elite Eight. Christine Williamson hosts one crew, joined by College GameDay analysts Andraya Carter and Chiney Ogwumike—bringing sharp insights honed from their extensive experience. The second team features Kelsey Riggs Cuff leading Muffet McGraw and Meghan McKeown for early-round analysis.
A groundbreaking addition: For the first time, ESPN deploys on-site studio teams for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight in Sacramento and Fort Worth. Both crews—Williamson/Carter/Ogwumike and Riggs Cuff/McGraw/McKeown—deliver live, location-specific commentary. The Williamson group then relocates to Phoenix for Final Four coverage, while Riggs Cuff, McGraw, and Carolyn Peck handle open practice duties on Saturday, April 4, plus SportsCenter segments. Rules experts Dee Kantner and Violet Palmer return for the third year, providing real-time officiating insights across all 67 games.
Commentator pairings for the first and second rounds include:
- Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe (Storrs, Conn.)
- Courtney Lyle, Stephanie White, Molly McGrath (Columbia, S.C.)
- Beth Mowins, Debbie Antonelli, Jess Sims (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
- Tiffany Greene, Carolyn Peck, Alyssa Lang (Baton Rouge, La.)
- Dave O’Brien, Jimmy Dykes (Austin, Texas)
- Eric Frede, Christy Thomaskutty (Los Angeles, Calif. – UCLA)
- Brenda VanLengen, Anne O’Neil (Morgantown, W.Va.)
- Jenn Hildreth, Kelly Gramlich (Durham, N.C.)
- Wes Durham, Angela Taylor (Louisville, Ky.)
- Mark Neely, Angel Gray (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
- Roy Philpott, Nell Fortner (Columbus, Ohio)
- Matt Schumacker, Ros Gold-Onwude (Iowa City, Iowa)
- Sam Gore, Tamika Catchings (Norman, Okla.)
- Krista Blunk, Andrea Lloyd (Minneapolis, Minn.)
- Jay Alter, Kim Adams (Nashville, Tenn.)
- Chuckie Kempf, Brooke Weisbrod (Fort Worth, Texas)
The SEC Network and ACC Network will also provide additional coverage. SEC Now covers the 10 SEC women’s teams with Nell Fortner, Mike Neighbors, and Steffi Sorensen from Charlotte studios during the early weekends, with Alyssa Lang joining if an SEC team reaches Phoenix. ACC Network’s Nothing But Net features nightly postseason analysis for ACC participants, hosted by Taylor Tannebaum and Jason Spells alongside rotating analysts like Kelly Gramlich, Liz Kitley, and others.
The Women’s Final Four MegaCast returns with innovative options across platforms. ESPN debuts a new alt-cast this year (details forthcoming), while popular feeds like Beyond the Rim (aerial views with stats) and On the Rail (end-to-end tracking with natural sound) enhance immersion on ESPN+/ESPN App. Of note, the beloved Bird and Taurasi Show alt-cast with Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi will not return this year.
The tournament will boast record exposure on ABC and ESPN, plus 4K broadcasts for the semifinals and championship for the second consecutive year. Enhanced studio programming includes 19 dedicated shows. Open practices air on ESPN2 starting at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, following the Women’s College All-Star game.
Tipping things off: Game On: Journey to the NCAA Championship, a one-hour special, premieres Wednesday, March 18, at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2 (streaming on ESPN+ from March 20). With powerhouse teams, innovative production, and unprecedented access, the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament promises unforgettable moments as teams battle for the national title in Phoenix.
