Winners and losers in new 76-team NCAA Tournament format

Key Points:

• The NCAA Tournament is expected to expand from 68 to 76 teams starting in the 2026-27 season, introducing a larger "opening round" and marking the biggest change since the field grew to 64 teams in 1985.
• Power conferences like the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, SEC, and Big East are projected to benefit most, gaining more bids and increasing their influence, though coaches at these schools will face higher expectations to qualify.
• Mid-major conferences will face challenges as lower-seeded automatic qualifiers must compete in the opening round, resulting in fewer low-major teams in the main bracket and generally less favorable seedings.
• Quality mid-majors such as the Atlantic 10, Missouri Valley, and Pac-12 could gain additional at-large bids, providing more opportunities for strong mid-major teams to participate.
• Casual fans may find the expanded format more confusing due to delayed matchups in the opening round, complicating bracket predictions and potentially reducing engagement in office pools and family games.