How to watch March Madness: Live stream the men's and women's tournaments
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Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images (left); Michael Hickey/Getty Images (right)
There's just a week left in the men's and women's March Madness tournaments, and the competition is only heating up. We've compiled everything you need to know about how to watch March Madness, including live streaming options and a frequently updated schedule of start times and viewing options.
The men's Elite Eight games wrapped up this weekend, and all the No. 1 seeds advanced to the Final Four. Houston squashed Tennessee, Auburn eliminated Michigan State, Duke beat Alabama, and Florida knocked out Texas Tech. On the women's side, reigning champ South Carolina narrowly defeated Duke 54-50. UCLA and LSU also squared up for an epic rematch of their 2024 tournament game, but this time, UCLA was the one to pull off the win. The last two Final Four spots are still up in the air and will be decided by tonight's Texas vs. TCU and UConn vs. USC games.
No matter who you're rooting for or which tournament you want to watch, we've got you covered when it comes to live streaming March Madness. The men's and women's tournaments are on completely different networks, so we've highlighted the best live TV streaming services that will allow you to watch each one. We'll also recommend our top streaming recommendation for fans who want to watch absolutely every single game from both tournaments in one place.
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What channels air March Madness games?
The men's and women's March Madness tournaments are nationally broadcast on different networks. Men's games air on TNT, TBS, truTV, and CBS, and women's games air on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPNews. Now that the tournament has progressed past the first few rounds, all women's games will air on ABC and ESPN proper. Below, we've highlighted some of the best sports streaming services to watch the games on.
How to watch March Madness in the US
If you're hoping to watch every game from March Madness, including every round from the men's and women's tournaments, DirecTV Stream is the way to go. DirecTV Stream's signature Choice plan carries TNT, TBS, truTV, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, and ABC in its 125+ channel lineup. Subscriptions cost $115/month, but you can get your first three months for $90/month. Plus, all subscriptions come with a five-day free trial.
DirecTV Stream also recently rolled out a new genre pack, MySports, which features 25+ key sports channels. At $70/month, it's cheaper than DirecTV Stream's signature packages, although a few channels might be missing or subject to regional availability. MySports carries ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, TNT, truTV, and TBS, among other channels. ABC is available in select regions, and CBS isn't available in the package. MySports also includes a subscription to ESPN Plus.
If you only want to watch the women's tournament, Sling TV or Fubo can help you. Select games from the women's tournament will also be live streamed on ESPN Plus and Disney Plus.
Sling is the cheapest way to live stream the entire women's tournament. You'll need to opt for Sling Orange to access ESPN and ESPN2 (in addition to 33 other live channels) for $46/month. From there, you'll need to subscribe to the Sports Extra add-on to unlock ESPNU and ESPNews (and several other live sports channels) for an additional $11/month. However, you won't need these add-on channels once you're past the first two rounds. Games on ABC also often air on ESPN3, which is included with Sling Orange, so you should be covered for the full tournament. New users get $23 off their first month of service.
Fubo is another service that can help you out for the women's tournament. Fubo's Elite plan carries ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPNews, in addition to 200+ other live channels. Subscriptions cost $95/month, but once you're past the first two rounds, you can find ESPN and ABC on the slightly cheaper Fubo Pro plan. For both plans, you can get $30 off your first month after a seven-day free trial.
If you only want to watch the men's tournament and want something cheaper than DirecTV Stream, you can subscribe to Paramount Plus to access CBS games and Max to access Warner Bros. games (TNT, TBS, truTV). For Paramount Plus, you'll need to subscribe to the Paramount Plus with Showtime tier for $13/month. This unlocks CBS live streaming and ad-free on-demand content. For Max, you'll need to subscribe to the Max with Ads tier for $17/month. This unlocks sports live streaming and ad-free on-demand content.
Sling TV Blue will also feature all men's games that air on Warner Bros. networks, including TNT, TBS, and truTV. Sling Blue offers 40+ live channels for $46/month ($51 in select areas). While the Blue plan offers local channels in select regions, CBS isn't apart of the lineup, so we recommend also subscribing to Paramount Plus with Showtime if you're hoping to watch the entirety of the men's tournament. New users get 50% off their first month of service.
How to watch March Madness from anywhere
If you'll be traveling outside the US at any point during March Madness, you'll want to invest in a VPN (virtual private network). VPNs are easy-to-use cybersecurity tools that let you change your virtual location. That way, your usual websites and apps work just like they would back home. Since the services we've highlighted today require US methods of payment, this will work best for Americans who are just abroad at the moment.
ExpressVPN is our go-to recommendation. It's a user-friendly option with a 30-day money-back guarantee, plus tons of other perks, which you can read about in our ExpressVPN review. Keep reading to learn how to use a VPN.
How to watch March Madness with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don't have one.
- Install it on the device you're using to watch the games.
- Turn it on and set it to a US location.
- Sign up for one of the above streaming services.
- Enjoy March Madness.
March Madness 2025 men's schedule
The First Four games of the 2025 Men's March Madness tournament take place from March 18-19. The First Round tips off March 20-21, followed by the Second Round March 22-23. Sweet 16 games will be held March 27-28 before the Elite Eight games take place March 29-30. Final Four games are scheduled for April 5, and the National Championship will take place on April 7. Below, you can explore a full schedule with teams, dates, times, and channels. We'll keep this info updated as the tournament progresses and the NCAA website announces relevant info.
| Round | Teams | Date | Channel | Time |
| Final Four | Florida vs. Auburn | April 5, 2025 | CBS | 6:09 p.m. ET |
| Final Four | Duke vs. Houston | April 5, 2025 | CBS | 8:49 p.m. ET |
March Madness 2025 women's schedule
The First Four games of the 2025 Women's March Madness tournament are scheduled for March 19-20. The First Round will take place March 21-22, and the Second Round will occur March 23-24. The Sweet 16 round is slated for March 28-29, followed by the Elite Eight on March 30-31. The Final Four games are on April 4, and the National Championship is on April 6. Below, you can find a full guide to the teams, dates, times, and channels, which will be updated throughout the tournament as the info is announced on the NCAA website.
| Round | Teams | Date | Channel | Time |
| Elite Eight | Texas vs. TCU | March 31, 2025 | ESPN | 7 p.m. ET |
| Elite Eight | UConn vs. USC | March 31, 2025 | ESPN | 9 p.m. ET |
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