NCAA Women’s Final Four 2026: Schedule, Teams & How to Watch
The NCAA Women’s Basketball finals are set to take place on Sunday, April 5, 2026, at the Footprint Centre (Mortgage Matchup Centre) in Phoenix, Arizona. The semifinals will take place on Friday, April 3. The match is going to be a clash of the four titans of basketball. For the second time in history, after the semifinal matches in 2025, the same four teams, UConn, South Carolina, UCLA, and Texas, have returned to the Final Four in consecutive years. All four teams entered the tournament as No. 1 seeds.
Here is a glance at the match schedule.
| Match | Date | Time (ET) | TV/Stream |
| (1) UConn vs. (1) South Carolina | Friday, April 3 | 7:00 PM | ESPN / ESPN+ |
| (1) UCLA vs. (1) Texas | Friday, April 3 | 9:30 PM* | ESPN / ESPN+ |
| National Championship | Sunday, April 5 | 3:30 PM | ABC |
| *Estimated start time |
The Semifinal Matches
Friday night is crucial for all four teams as it is the day that determines their final fate. The first semifinal match, scheduled at 7.00 PM ET, is between UConn and South Carolina. UConn, led by The UConn Huskies, led by the ageless Geno Auriemma, arrives in Phoenix riding a staggering 54-game winning streak. They haven’t tasted defeat since early last season.
On the other side is South Carolina, which is the right rival for UConn. Historically, UConn has often appeared invincible, but South Carolina is the only team that has consistently challenged that aura over the last five years (2021–2026). This is a revenge game for South Carolina and a legacy-defining game for UConn’s current veteran core.
The second semifinal match is set to take place between UCLA and Texas. A win in the match is equally important for both teams because they are in pursuit of their first-ever NCAA era national title. Texas is the most terrifying team of the lot. They are good at defense, which has seen them outscore tournament opponents by an average of 35.5 points per game. However, UCLA is not a small fish, and this game will be the most difficult for Texas. With their versatile gaming strategies and high-octane transition scoring, UCLA is the stylistic antithesis to Texas.
Basketball enthusiasts all over the world are looking forward to the UCLA-Texas match. Texas had already beaten UCLA 76–65 earlier this season (November 27, 2025) in Las Vegas. Fans are looking forward to whether UCLA’s Lauren Betts (the 6’7″ Big Ten Player of the Year) can overcome the suffocating Texas defense that held them to 65 points in their first meeting.
Where to Watch the NCAA Matches?
The semifinal matches will be streamed live on ESPN. Fans can catch the national semifinals on Friday, April 3, starting at 7:00 PM ET. The games will be available for streaming via the ESPN App and ESPN+. The winners will advance to the National Championship on Sunday, April 5, which will be broadcast on ABC at 3:30 PM ET.
