The NCAA appears poised to approve a significant expansion of both men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, increasing participation from the current 68 teams to 76 teams beginning in 2027, according to ESPN reports released Wednesday evening.
Sources indicate the organization has scheduled conference calls for Thursday to complete the approval process for this major format change, which has been under discussion for more than a year.
Despite multiple reports in April suggesting the expansion was moving forward, NCAA officials previously denied that any final determination had been reached.
“Expanding the basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, including the men’s and women’s basketball committees, and no final recommendations or decisions have been made at this time,” the organization stated on April 28.
The proposed changes must receive endorsement from several governing bodies, including the men’s basketball committees, both men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees, the Division I cabinet, and the Division I Board of Governors.
According to ESPN’s Wednesday report, with media partnership agreements for the men’s tournament nearly finalized in late April, the remaining approval steps are anticipated to proceed without major obstacles.
Under the proposed structure reported by various news outlets last month, 52 teams would receive direct placement into the main bracket. The remaining 24 teams would compete in 12 elimination games during the Tuesday and Wednesday following Selection Sunday, with winners advancing to complete the Round of 64 field. The current “First Four” designation would be replaced with “opening round” for the play-in contests and “first round” for the Round of 64.
These 12 additional games would take place in Dayton, Ohio, which currently hosts the First Four, along with a second venue yet to be determined.
This would represent the first tournament expansion since 2011, when the field grew from 65 to 68 teams with the introduction of the First Four games. Prior to that change, the tournament had maintained a 64 or 65-team format since 1985.
Yahoo Sports reported in April that the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference have been the primary advocates for tournament expansion. NCAA president Charlie Baker has also expressed his endorsement of the idea.
“I said all along that I think there are some very good reasons to expand the tournament,” Baker told ESPN in February. “So, I would like to see it expand.”
