There has been considerable speculation and debate over the last several seasons regarding expansion for the NCAA Tournament. Most fans and analysts in the sport seem to be highly opposed to it, but the NCAA continues to push the narrative that March Madness will expand to include at least eight to ten more programs in the coming years.
Now, this process might be speeding up quicker than anticipated, as NCAA President Charlie Baker has stated that NCAA Tournament expansion can come as quickly as the 2025-26 season.
NEW: NCAA President Charlie Baker says March Madness expansion could come as early as 2026😮
— On3 (@On3sports) May 29, 2025
"That would be the goal, to try and do this for next year... We've been talking about 72 and 76."
(via @_DavidRumsey)https://t.co/iovCZhLyYf pic.twitter.com/qpq31dH71J
At the Big 12 Spring meetings in Orlando, FL, Baker was mostly focused on the expansion of the NCAA Tournament over anything else.
"That would be the goal, to try and do this for next year...We've been talking about 72 and 76," Baker told Front Office Sports' David Rumsey.
It seems as of now that the most likely scenario is that the NCAA Tournament expands to 76 teams, completely shaking up the event as we know it. It seems odd that the NCAA would change in any way the tournament that so many college sports fans call the best event in sports, but here we are.
Back in February, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported on College GameDay on the potential NCAA Tournament expansion, hinting at the likelihood of 76 teams above all else.
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's 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. This has been a discussion with its media partners for a while on this now, and a decision on whether it does go to 76 would come in the next few months.”
A move to 72 or 76 teams could reportedly be made as soon as the 2026 NCAA Tournament, completely changing the landscape of college basketball as we know it. As the likelihood of March Madness expansion grows, many fans' and experts' distaste for the expansion will likely grow as well.