Watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams as Michigan defends its title after beating six-time winner UConn in the most recent championship game. The Wolverines, though, have lost head coach Dusty May to Dallas to dent their defense, meaning Florida starts the season as many pundits’ favorites.
Michigan has promoted defensive coordinator Mike Boynton Jr to the top job, which means the bulk of last year’s roster will remain for their title defense. Elliot Cadeau, the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, plus sixth man Trey McKenney are still there.
Todd Golden’s Florida top the AP and USA Today preseason rankings and look set to go well. The 22-year-old wing Thomas Haugh, believed to be the sport’s highest-paid player, has decided to stay with the Gators after rejecting the chance to join the NBA. UConn guard Braylon Mullins did likewise and the Huskies should go deep again.
Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone is now in charge at North Carolina, who can count on Malian center Sayon Keita. Also look out for 7ft 3in Luigi Suigo, nicknamed the Italian Wemby, who has enrolled at Villanova.
This is the first year of the expanded March Madness, with 76 teams (up from 68) qualifying for the end-of-season tournament to decide the national champion. The 32 conference champions qualify by right, with the remaining ‘at-large’ bids being selected by the NCAA Selection Committee.
There are still some legal wrangles surrounding eligibility and the five-in-five rule, so by the time the Division I tournament comes around in 2027, the rosters could look very different.
Here’s how to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 from anywhere in the world – starting with FREE options.
Can I watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 for free?
Yes. In the UK, select games are being shown for free on DAZN. Make sure to regularly check their schedule here.
Traveling abroad right now? You can use a VPN to watch NCAA 2026/27 games for free as if you were right at home.
Use a VPN to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams
A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it’s back in your home country, thereby letting you unlock your usual streaming services. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with a 75% discount.
How to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams in the US
National coverage of the 2026/27 NCAA College Basketball season is being provided by a wide array of TV channels and streaming services, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NBC, TNT, HBO, FOX, Peacock and Paramount+.
If you’re a cord cutter, Sling TV is an OTT service that gives access to a good proportion of nationally televised games. Prices start as low as $4.99 (one-day access to Sling Orange that carries ESPN and TNT).
Go for an Orange + Blue plan for $60.99 per month and you’ll get access to ESPN, FS1 and TNT, with ABC, FOX and NBC in selected cities, and access to the FOX One app. Add the Sports Extra bolt-on ($11 a month) to your cart and you get the SEC, ACC, Big Ten networks, too.
A standalone FOX One subscription offers access to FOX, FS1 and FS2 from $19.99/month. FOX will show select games from Big Ten, Big East Big12 and Mountain West conferences.
Alternatively, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX, FS1 and NBC are also carried by YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Fubo, each of which offers a free trial to new users.
ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, coverage is available to live stream on ESPN Unlimited, which costs $31.99/month or $319.99/year. That comes with access to thousands of exclusive ESPN+ games.
HBO Max will show all TNT content, starting from $18.49 with the necessary Standard plan. Select games from Big 12 and Big East, plus TNT Sports coverage, come as part of the plan.
NBC’s NCAA College Basketball coverage is available to live stream on Peacock, which starts at $12.99/month or $129.99/year for a plan that carries live sports. However, you can access Peacock virtually for free with a Walmart Plus 30-day trial for $1. Nearly 200 games from the Big Ten, Big East and Big 12 men’s and women’s conferences will be on Peacock.
Paramount+ costs $8.99 for the ad-supported tier or $13.99 to take the commercials away (and stream CBS live), while the Walmart Plus trial also works here. CBS games will appear here, along with the men’s March Madness.
Outside the US for a game? Use NordVPN to access your usual coverage.
How to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams in Canada
NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 coverage is on TSN in Canada.
All games shown on TSN can also be watched online through the network’s streaming service TSN+. It now costs from $24.99 a month after a recent price hike, with the TSN Premium tier ($29.99) showing hundreds games this season.
If you’re out of Canada but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.
How to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams in the UK
Specialist sports streamer DAZN has the rights to show College Basketball from the 2026/27 season in the UK.
Select games will be available for free, as alluded to above. Outside of that, you can gain access from £12.99/month for a flexible rolling monthly plan, with savings available if you commit to a year of DAZN.
Outside the UK? You’ll need to download a VPN, as detailed above, to watch your usual stream from abroad.
How to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams in Australia
Aussies can watch College Basketball on DAZN and ESPN via Foxtel which can be live-streamed via Foxtel Now, Kayo Sports and Disney Plus.
DAZN will have select games live each week but outside of that it is a similar stance to the UK. An NCAA College Sports subscription costs AU$144.99 a year, AU$13.99 a month on a 12-month plan, or AU$17.99 a month rolling.
Kayo Sports costs from AU$30 a month after a 7-day free trial or your first month for $1, while Disney+ subscriptions are available from only AU$9.99 a month.
Not in Australia? Use a VPN if you’re away from home, in order to tap into your usual College Basketball coverage on the above services from anywhere.
NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 Q&A
When does the NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 March Madness start?
The 2026/27 NCAA College Basketball regular season runs until March 14, 2027, after which March Madness – the de facto Division I playoffs and end-of-season 76-team final tournament – will begin on March 16, 2027, starting with the Opening Round fixtures.
When is NCAA Basketball Final Four 2027?
The 2027 NCAA Final Four – the semifinals and championship game – runs from April 3 to 5, 2027.
Who are the recent NCAA College Basketball champions?
NCAA champions
2026 – Michigan
2025 – Florida
2024 – UConn
2023 – UConn
2022 – Kansa
2021 – Baylor
2020 – N/A
2019 – Virginia
2018 – Villanova
2017 – North Carolina
Can I watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 on my mobile?
The vast majority of College Basketball broadcasters mentioned in this article have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or via your phone’s browser. For example, Sling TV in the US, DAZN in the UK and Kayo or Disney+ in Australia.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
