It's official: NCAA men's and women's tournaments will expand to 76 teams starting in 2027

The NCAA has confirmed plans to expand both its men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments to 76 teams beginning in 2027. The decision, approved by the men’s and women’s basketball selection committees and ratified by the NCAA’s DI Board of Directors and Board of Governors on Thursday, adds eight at-large teams to the existing format. The expansion will increase the First Four round by eight games, with 24 teams playing 12 matches over the first two days of the tournament. The NCAA cited concerns that too many strong teams were being left out under the previous 64-team structure, which included 32 automatic qualifiers for conference champions, leaving only 36 slots for others. The move follows months of reports suggesting tournament expansion was imminent. Earlier this year, NCAA President Charlie Baker and conferences like the Big 12 and ACC expressed support for the change, arguing that more deserving teams deserved a chance to compete. The NCAA had previously stated that any expansion would require approval from multiple committees, a process now completed. The announcement resolves uncertainty that arose in late April when the NCAA denied finalized reports of expansion, emphasizing that no decisions had been made at the time. With the committees now aligned, the tournaments will undergo a significant structural shift starting in 2027.