March Madness turns casual fans into bracketologists for three frenetic weeks each spring, but keeping up with the rulebook is no small task. The NCAA tweaks guidelines almost every year, and 2026 brings several notable adjustments.
Whether you are filling out a bracket, coaching a team, or simply tuning in for the buzzer-beaters, understanding the latest regulations will sharpen your viewing experience. This guide walks through the essential rules and updates shaping the 2026 tournament.
The Division I Men’s Basketball Championship still features 68 teams, but the play-in format has been streamlined. The First Four remains in Dayton, with two games on Tuesday and two on Wednesday, feeding directly into the 64-team bracket that starts Thursday.
Regional weekends are unchanged in length, yet start times have been staggered slightly to reduce overlap between games. Expect more breathing room between tip-offs, giving broadcasters a chance to finish one matchup before another reaches crunch time.
The NCAA Selection Committee still hands out 32 automatic bids and 36 at-large spots. What’s different is a refined metric blend: the NET ranking now counts for 35 percent of a team’s résumé score, while strength of record carries 25 percent. The remaining 40 percent is split among quality wins, adjusted efficiency, and results away from home.
In a bid to reduce travel fatigue, the committee has also loosened geographic bracketing. Teams are protected from facing a conference opponent before the Elite Eight but can now be placed anywhere in their quadrant if it shortens travel for higher seeds.
All tournament games use the standard NCAA men’s rulebook with two 20-minute halves, yet there are event-specific nuances. Each team receives four 30-second timeouts and one 60-second timeout per regulation game. Unused timeouts do not roll into overtime.
Media breaks are fixed at the first whistle under 16:00, 12:00, 8:00, and 4:00 of each half. Coaches cannot call a timeout within 30 seconds of a scheduled media break, a guideline put in place to prevent unnecessary stoppages.
Overtime remains a five-minute period with the standard foul reset: team fouls carry over, yet timeouts do not. Each overtime grants one additional 30-second timeout per team.
Replay has expanded again. Officials may now use the monitor inside the final two minutes to confirm a restricted-area block-charge call. The review window is capped at 90 seconds to maintain game flow.
A mid-season transfer who enrolled before the spring semester and meets academic progress requirements is eligible if on the official NCAA roster by February 1. The one-time transfer waiver continues to allow immediate eligibility without a year in residence.
Graduate transfers must have completed their undergraduate degree by the end of the fall term. Any player who logged professional minutes overseas after May 1, 2025, is ineligible, maintaining the amateur standard for March Madness.
Hand-checking on the perimeter is the primary focus this year. Officials have been instructed to whistle any sustained contact that impedes freedom of movement, even if it does not displace the dribbler.
Flopping warnings issued during regular-season play will reset for the tournament, but a second incident in any game is an automatic Class B technical foul. Bench decorum is also under scrutiny, with coaches restricted to the coaching box except during timeouts.
The 2026 Final Four heads to Las Vegas, marking the city’s first time hosting men’s college basketball’s crown-jewel weekend. Earlier rounds will be played in traditional basketball hubs like Kansas City, Indianapolis, and Greensboro, plus newcomers Sacramento and Birmingham.
Teams will travel on NCAA-chartered flights for any trip exceeding 400 miles. The charter policy, introduced in 2024, has cut average door-to-door travel time by nearly 30 percent and is credited with better recovery between rounds.
From an updated selection formula to expanded replay reviews, the 2026 edition of March Madness has no shortage of fresh wrinkles. Knowing these details helps fans appreciate the strategy behind every timeout, substitution, and bracket reveal.
Keep this guide handy as the tournament unfolds and you will be ready for each whistle, replay, and dramatic finish that defines college basketball’s biggest stage.
