How many rounds are there in March Madness?

March Madness started in 1985 with a significant change, the expansion to 64 teams, where all teams had to win six games. This format eliminated all byes and provided greater national exposure, turning the tournament into a cultural one. Regional names changed over the years, and by 2007, the NCAA switched back to traditional geographic designations after trying city-based names. In 2001, the Mountain West Conference was added with a 65th team, resulting in the ‘play-in game.’ By 2011, the tournament had grown again to 68 teams, giving birth to the ‘First Four,’ where the final at-large teams and lowest seeds fought for a place in the main bracket.

Since 2016, there have been standardized courts and a new ‘March Madness’ logo reinforcing the identity of the tournament. The No. 1 overall seed chooses its early-round sites, and top-16 seed fixtures are available in February. Due to COVID-19, the 2020 event was canceled, and there was a one-state event in Indiana in 2021.

March Madness Rounds

March Madness consists of seven rounds altogether to be crowned as the National Champions. Below is a table showing all the rounds, the number of teams competing in each round, the number of games in each round, and which weeks and days they play.

Is March Madness a Single Elimination Tournament?

Yes, the NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, also referred to as March Madness, are single-elimination tournaments in which a team is eliminated from the tournament following a single loss.