Potential NCAA Tournament expansion could reportedly include 76-team field

NCAA Tournament expansion is seeming more and more likely.

During Saturday’s episode of College Gameday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the field of 68 could see an expansion to as many as 76 teams starting with next year’s tournament.

“There’s development behind the scenes about what this tournament could look like in 2026,” Thamel said. “NCAA President Charlie Baker is on the record saying there has been discussions about growing the tournament to either 72 or 76 teams. I had multiple high-ranking sources tell me this week that the more likely option if the tournament were to expand would be to 76.”

The NCAA Tournament has not expanded since going from 64 teams to 68 teams back in 2011. The time before that was in 1985 when the field doubled in size from 32 to 64. An eight-team add to the Big Dance would be the largest in 40 years.

Here’s our @CollegeGameDay report on *potential* NCAA tournament expansion for the 2026 season. If the tournament is to expand – and it remains an IF – the "more likely option" is to 76 teams, per multiple-high ranking sources. pic.twitter.com/Xzo7TDr1lu

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 15, 2025

Thamel reports an additional site for the expanded field would be added, similar to how Dayton has been the host location for the First Four games since 2011, and it would likely be somewhere outside of the Eastern time zone. The women’s NCAA Tournament would also follow suit in the event of an expansion.

“The NCAA has been in discussions with its media partners on this for a while now and a decision on whether it does go to 76 would come in the next few months,” Thamel added.

The key to all this? You guessed it: money. If the bigwigs can make it all work financially, expansion is coming, no matter how much we might not want it.

“Ultimately, can the money come together and come the sides come together and figure out a way to go to 76?”