THE men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 NCAA Tournament fields reportedly will expand from 68 to 76 teams in 2027, though the NCAA denied any final decision has been made.
Following multiple outlets reporting that plans for expansion are expected to be approved by NCAA committees and formalized as soon as May, the NCAA issued a statement later on Tuesday to deny any firm plans.
鈥淓xpanding the basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, including the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball committees, and no final recommendations or decisions have been made at this time,鈥 the NCAA鈥檚 statement read.
CBS Sports reported that the NCAA plans for 52 teams to slot into the main bracket and the other 24 teams to face off in 12 games on Tuesday and Wednesday after Selection Sunday, filling out the Round of 64 with the winners. It will no longer be called the 鈥淔irst Four,鈥 with the terminology expected to be 鈥渙pening round鈥 for the play-ins and 鈥渇irst round鈥 for the Round of 64.
Per ESPN, the NCAA is completing contract negotiations with its media partners. That step must come before votes from the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball committees, the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball oversight committees, the Division I Cabinet and the Division I Board of Governors.
It would mark the first expansion of the tournament since the field moved from 65 to 68 teams with the addition of the First Four games in 2011. The field had previously been 64 or 65 teams since 1985.
The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference were the leading voices behind tournament expansion, Yahoo Sports reported earlier this month. NCAA President Charlie Baker has also voiced his support. 鈥 Reuters
