2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship FAQ

March Madness, known more formally as the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, is one of the hallmark events on the sports calendar every year. March Madness consistently features bedlam and unpredictable results, which keeps college basketball fans coming back for more because this year could be their year. Each season there’s a hallmark upset or a signature Cinderella story that makes an improbable run, and the drama is routinely some of the most exciting across sports.

When is Selection Sunday?

Selection Sunday for the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship is Sunday, March 16, right after Conference play concludes. The field of 68 teams are announced, along with seeding, locations and arenas.

How many teams are in March Madness?

The field is broken down into four 16-seeded brackets, with four teams qualifying for the “First Four” (those who have to win a play-in game to make the traditional bracket). Overall, 68 teams qualify for March Madness. Of the 68 teams, 31 receive automatic bids based on winning their Conference Championship (either regular season or tournament), and the other 37 teams receive at-large bids based on resume and body of work.

Conferences that award automatic bids based on a conference champion:

• America East
• American Athletic
• Atlantic 10
• Atlantic Coast (ACC)
• Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
• Big 12
• Big East
• Big Sky
• Big South
• Big Ten
• Big West
• Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)
• Conference USA
• Horizon League
• Ivy League
• Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)
• Mid-American Conference (MAC)
• Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
• Missouri Valley Conference (MVC)
• Mountain West Conference
• Northeast Conference
• Ohio Valley Conference (OVC)
• Patriot League
• Southeastern Conference (SEC)
• Southern Conference
• Southland Conference
• Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)
• Summit League
• Sun Belt Conference
• West Coast Conference
• Western Athletic Conference (WAC)

When does March Madness start?

The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship will begin on March 18, with the First Four games, and will continue through until a champion is decided on April 7.

How many rounds are in March Madness?

If you include the First Four as a round, then there are seven total rounds of March Madness. The field shrinks from 68 to 64, then 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, and one eventual champion.

What are the rounds in March Madness called?

The first two rounds are just called the round of 64 and the round of 32. Rounds three through five all have distinct names meant to highlight how many teams remain. They are as follows: Sweet 16, Elite Eight and, most importantly, the Final Four. The final round is simply called the National Championship game.

2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Schedule

The full 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship schedule can be found here.

What’s another name for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship?

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship is also referred to as March Madness, the March Madness tournament and The Big Dance.

How much do March Madness tickets cost?

Tickets to March Madness vary day by day and depend on the championship round and seat location. The average ticket for first-round games can cost between $60-$100 and second-round games between $100-$175. The cost of tickets for Sweet 16 games and later rounds can cost between $200-$500.

How do I sell my March Madness tickets?

If you have tickets to attend a game in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, but you can no longer make it, you can easily sell your March Madness tickets on Ticketmaster. Find out how you can safely and securely sell your tickets to another fan.

Who won the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship?

The Connecticut Huskies, coached by Dan Hurley, beat the Purdue Boilermakers, 75–60, to win the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship — their second consecutive title.