How to watch March Madness: live streams, schedule, and channels

March Madness
(Image credit: Future)
March Madness key dates

Final Four: April 2
National Championship: April 4

Watch in US: Sling TV
Watch in UK:
BT Sport
Watch in Australia:
Kayo Sport
Watch anywhere in the world:
Express VPN

We're down to just four teams now, so if you're just tuning in we're showing you how to watch March Madness from anywhere in the world - perfect for those latecomers who haven't sorted their viewing options yet. The next round will take place on April 2, as the Final Four go head to head for a spot at the National Championship. 

The Villanova Wildcats will take on the Kansas Jayhawks first, kicking off at 6.09pm ET on Saturday, shortly followed by North Carolina's Tar Heels against Duke's Blue Devils at 8.49pm ET. Both games will be played at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, and broadcast on TBS.

Duke's got its eyes on a sixth national title to match its opponent, meanwhile the Jayhawks have set their sights on their fourth championship victory - if they can get past Villanova this time. The pair previously met in the semi-finals of 2018, when the Wildcats took the win 95-79. 

There's a lot of action to prep for, and we're making sure you don't miss a second with our complete guide on how to watch March Madness live streams from anywhere in the world. 

How to watch March Madness in the US

You can watch March Madness across four channels in the US, with TBS picking up every divisional round and CBS, TNT, and TruTV offering select weeks. However, if you've cut the cord it's time to check out which streaming options will offer you the best bang for buck value - and that's Sling TV

Sling TV includes channels that cover 49 out of the 67 scheduled games with a $35 per month subscription, but to get the full package you can also add Paramount+ to your plan. At $44.99, this is the most cost-efficient way to get CBS, TNT, TBS, and TruTV all under one roof. While the Sling TV free trial has now come to an end, users can save $10 on their first month, dropping that cost down to $24.99 for the remaining tournament games.

Sling TV + Paramount Plus
$34.99 per month$44.99 per month

Sling TV + Paramount Plus
US viewers looking for a complete March Madness live stream solution should head over to Sling TV. The cable-cutting service offers three out of the four March Madness channels in its $34.99 per month Blue package. However, to watch the CBS games as well, you can also add Paramount+ onto your bill for a total of $44.99 per month

That's far cheaper than competitors YouTubeTV ($64.99 per month) and Hulu+ Live ($69.99 per month) are charging for the full roster.

How to watch March Madness in the UK

BT Sport
at just £25

BT Sport
UK viewers catch watch March Madness on BT Sport in 2022. If you're not already a BT broadband customer, we'd recommend picking up a BT Sport Monthly Pass. This will cover you throughout the March Madness tournament and comes in at just £25 with no contracts to worry about either.

How to watch March Madness in Australia

Kayo Sports
for $25 a month

Kayo Sports
Kayo Sports has broadcast rights to March Madness in Australia, offering basketball fans Down Under access to the full tournament for $25 a month. However, it's worth noting that Kayo is currently offering a 14 day free trial on both its $25 Basic plan and its Premium plan (which adds an additional screen), so if you time it right you could catch all the final two weeks for free. 

How to watch March Madness from anywhere in the world

If you're after full US coverage from outside the country, you'll need an extra piece of kit in your arsenal. A VPN allows you to log into streaming services when you're away from home as if you were in the country, by spoofing an IP address from anywhere in the world. That means you can sign into your Sling TV account as if you were back in the US. 

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN
Express VPN is one of the most popular VPN software out there - and for good reason. We rate it as the best VPN provider available, with super-fast speeds and excellent security. Not only that, but thanks to wide compatibility across PC, laptops, mobile, Fire TV (not for iPlayer though), Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation, and more you'll be able to watch the big game on the big screen as well.

Plus, annual plans also come with three months extra for free right now with an easy 30-day money-back guarantee if you do change your mind. 

It's worth noting, however, that Express VPN is currently unable to stream BBC iPlayer on Amazon Firesticks right now. If this was your preferred play, we'd recommend checking out NordVPN instead. You'll still find that excellent 30-day guarantee on offer here as well.

To watch March Madness 2022 using a VPN, simply install your software and select a new location from the list on offer. Once connected, you'll be browsing the web and enjoying content as if you're in that selected location.

March Madness live stream dates

Round One

  • March 17 | 12pm ET / 9am PT / 5pm GMT / 1am ACT | CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV 
  • March 18 | 12pm ET / 9am PT / 5pm GMT / 1am ACT | CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV

Round Two

  • March 19 | 12pm ET / 9am PT / 5pm GMT / 1am ACT | CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV 
  • March 20 | 12pm ET / 9am PT / 5pm GMT / 1am ACT | CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV 

Sweet 16

  • March 24 | 7pm ET / 4pm PT / 12am GMT / 11am ACT | CBS, TBS 
  • March 25 | 7pm ET / 4pm PT / 12am GMT / 11am ACT | CBS, TBS 

Elite 8

  • March 26 | 6pm ET / 3pm PT / 11pm GMT / 10am ACT | TBS
  • March 27 | 2pm ET / 11am PT / 7pm GMT / 1am ACT | CBS

Final Four

  • April 2 | 6pm ET / 3pm PT / 11pm GMT / 10am ACT | TBS

National Championship

  • April 4 | 9pm ET / 6pm PT / 2am GMT / 10am ACT | TBS

For more sporting coverage, check out our guide to the ESPN Plus price as well as all the latest updates on Hulu free trials and Peacock TV costs.

TOPICS
Tabitha Baker
Managing Editor - Hardware

Managing Editor of Hardware at 12DOVE, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector.