What is the opening round in March Madness?
The Opening Round is how March Madness starts in 2027. Twenty-four teams play 12 games. The winners take the last spots in the main bracket.
New in 2027: it replaces the First Four
For years, the tournament opened with the First Four.
That was 8 teams playing 4 games.
It ran from 2011 through 2026.
In 2027, the field grows to 76 teams.
So the early round grows with it.
Now 24 teams play 12 games.
Six games are played each day.
NCAA.com calls this round the Opening Round.
See how many teams are in the tournament.
Who plays in it
The 24 teams come in two groups.
Twelve are the lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers.
Those teams won their conference tournaments.
Twelve are the lowest-seeded at-large teams.
The committee picked those teams by hand.
The two groups never play each other here.
Automatic qualifiers play only automatic qualifiers.
At-large teams play only at-large teams.
NCAA.com states there are no crossover games.
When and where in 2027
The men's games are Tuesday, March 16.
They end on Wednesday, March 17.
They are played in Dayton, Ohio.
They are also played in Wichita, Kansas.
Wichita is the second site in 2027.
The women's games start a day later.
They are played March 17 and 18.
They are held at 12 campus sites.
What the winners get
Each winner earns a main bracket spot.
The 12 winners join 52 waiting teams.
Together they make the 64-team bracket.
The First Round starts Thursday, March 18.
An Opening Round team can still go far.
In 2011, VCU started in the First Four.
It went on to reach the Final Four.
NCAA.com says no team has matched that run.
A champion from here needs seven straight wins.
Every other team needs six straight wins.
Does your pool count these games?
Most pools score only the main bracket.
Their brackets lock before the First Round.
That is Thursday morning, March 18, in 2027.
Some pools treat the early games differently.
Ask your pool how it scores them.
See how bracket scoring works.
Five questions start it. You finish it.
Our picker opens on Selection Sunday, March 14, 2027. Five answers start your bracket. You can flip any pick. Free forever, no ads, no accounts.
Common questions
What is the opening round in March Madness?
It is the first part of the 2027 tournament: 24 teams play 12 games, and the 12 winners join 52 other teams in the 64-team main bracket. It replaces the old First Four, which had 8 teams and 4 games.
When is the Opening Round in 2027?
The men's games are Tuesday, March 16 and Wednesday, March 17, 2027, in Dayton, Ohio and Wichita, Kansas. The women's games are Wednesday, March 17 and Thursday, March 18, at 12 campus sites.
More bracket basics
- How to fill out a March Madness bracket
- What is a March Madness bracket?
- How does bracket scoring work?
- What is a Cinderella team?
- When is Selection Sunday 2027?
- How often do upsets happen?
- What is a seed in March Madness?
- How to pick upsets
- What is March Madness?
- Has anyone ever had a perfect bracket?
- Fill out a bracket if you know nothing about basketball
- What is the Final Four?
- How many teams are in March Madness?