2026 NCAA Softball Tournament bracket, schedule revealed

The 2026 NCAA Softball Tournament is here. The road to Oklahoma City begins on Friday with the 16 regional hosts. Each regional winner will advance to play their paired regional winner in a best-of-three Super Regional to earn a spot at the Women’s College World Series.

NCAA Softball Tournament Top 16 Seeds, Regional Hosts

1. Alabama (Tuscaloosa Regional)
2. Texas (Austin Regional)
3. Oklahoma (Norman Regional)
4. Nebraska (Lincoln Regional)
5. Arkansas (Fayetteville Regional)
6. Florida (Gainesville Regional)
7. Tennessee (Knoxville Regional)
8. UCLA (Los Angeles Regional)
9. Florida State (Tallahassee Regional)
10. Georgia (Athens Regional
11. Texas Tech (Lubbock Regional)
12. Duke (Durham Regional)
13. Oklahoma State (Stillwater Regional)
14. Oregon (Eugene Regional)
15. Texas A&M (College Station Regional)
16. LSU (Baton Rouge Regional)

NCAA Softball Tournament Bubble

Last Four Teams In (Alphabetic Order)

• Georgia Tech
• lndiana
• Marshall
• Michigan

First Four Teams Out (Alphabetic Order)

• Nevada
• North Carolina
• Northwestern
• Wichita State

NCAA Softball Tournament Bracket, Schedule

Editor’s note: * = Automatic Bid

Tuscaloosa Regional – (No. 1 National Seed Alabama)

(1 Seed Regional) 1 Alabama
(2 Seed Regional) 8 Southeastern Louisiana
(3 Seed Regional) Belmont*
(4 Seed Regional) USC Upstate*

Friday:
Game 1: No. 1 Alabama vs. USC Upstate | 1 p.m. | SEC Network
Game 2: Belmont vs. SE Louisiana | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN App

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

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Baton Rouge Regional – (No. 16 LSU)

4 LSU
5 Virginia Tech
South Alabama*
Akron*

Friday:
Game 1: Virginia Tech vs. South Alabama | 4 p.m. | ESPN App
Game 2: Akron vs. No. 16 LSU | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN App

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

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Los Angeles Regional – (No. 8 UCLA)

2 UCLA
7 South Carolina
Cal State Fullerton*
Cal Baptist*

Friday:
Game 1: South Carolina vs. Cal State Fullerton | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN App
Game 2: California Baptist vs. No. 8 UCLA | 10 p.m. | ESPN2

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Tallahassee Regional – (No. 9 Florida State)

3 Florida State*
6 UCF
Jax State*
Stetson*

Friday:
Game 1: No. 9 Florida State vs. Stetson | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
Game 2: Jacksonville State vs. UCF | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN App

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Lincoln Regional – (No. 4 Nebraska)

1 Nebraska*
8 Louisville
Grand Canyon*
South Dakota*

Friday:
Game 1: Louisville vs. Grand Canyon | 4 p.m. | ESPNU
Game 2: No. 4 Nebraska vs. South Dakota | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN App

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Stillwater Regional – (No. 13 Oklahoma State)

4 Oklahoma State
5 Stanford
Princeton*
Eastern Illinois*

Friday:
Game 1: No. 13 Oklahoma State vs. Eastern Illinois | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN App
Game 2: Princeton vs. Stanford | 2 p.m. | ACC Network

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Fayetteville Regional – (No. 5 Arkansas)

2 Arkansas
7 Washington
USF*
Fordham*

Friday:
Game 1: No. 5 Arkansas vs. Fordham | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN App
Game 2: South Florida vs. Washington | 8 p.m. | ESPNU

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Durham Regional – (No. 12 Duke)

3 Duke
6 Arizona
Marshall
Howard*

Friday:
Game 1: Arizona vs. Marshall | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN App
Game 2: Howard vs. No. 12 Duke | 12 p.m. | ACC Network

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Austin Regional – (No. 2 Texas)

1 Texas*
8 Wisconsin
Baylor
Wagner*

Friday:
Game 1: Wisconsin vs. Baylor | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN App
Game 2: Wagner vs. No. 2 Texas | 4 p.m. | ESPN App

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

College Station Regional – (No. 15 Texas A&M)

4 Texas A&M
5 Arizona State*
McNeese*
UConn*

Friday:
Game 1: No. 15 Texas A&M vs. UConn | 2 p.m. | ESPN2
Game 2: McNeese vs. Arizona State | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN App

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Knoxville Regional – (No. 7 Tennessee)

2 Tennessee
7 Virginia
Indiana
Northern Kentucky*

Friday:
Game 1: No. 7 Tennessee vs. Northern Kentucky | 5:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Game 2: Indiana vs. Virginia | 8 p.m. | ESPN2

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Athens Regional – (No. 10 Georgia)

3 Georgia
6 Clemson
UNC Greensboro*
Charleston*

Friday:
Game 1: Clemson vs. UNC Greensboro | 4:30 p.m. | ACC Network
Game 2: Charleston vs. No. 10 Georgia | 7 p.m. | ESPN App

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Norman Regional – (No. 3 Oklahoma)

1 Oklahoma
8 Kansas
Michigan
Binghamton*

Friday:
Game 1: No. 3 Oklahoma vs. Binghamton | 3:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Game 2: Michigan vs. Kansas | 6 p.m. | ESPNU

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Eugene Regional – (No. 14 Oregon)

4 Oregon
5 Mississippi State
Saint Mary’s*
Idaho State*

Friday:
Game 1: Mississippi State vs. Saint Mary’s | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN App
Game 2: Idaho State vs. No. 14 Oregon | 10 p.m. | ESPNU

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

---

Gainesville Regional – (No. 6 Florida)

2 Florida
7 Texas State
Georgia Tech
Florida A&M*

Friday:
Game 1: Georgia Tech vs. Texas State | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN App
Game 2: Florida A&M vs. No. 6 Florida | 11 a.m. | SEC Network

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

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Lubbock Regional – (No. 11 Texas Tech)

3 Texas Tech
6 Ole Miss
Boston U.*
Marist*

Friday:
Game 1: No. 11 Texas Tech vs. Marist | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN App
Game 2: Boston vs. Ole Miss | 2 p.m. | ESPNU

Saturday:
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday:
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary): Rematch Game 6

How the NCAA Tournament Softball Bracket is formed

The Field of 64 is built upon 31 automatic bids from each conference and 33 at-large bids. The at-large bids are rooted in RPI, wins against the different quadrants of the RPI, and strength of schedule, while factoring in other data sets such as KPI and DSR.

As a reminder, the bracket will look different than years past. After multiple years of discussion, NCAA softball will follow the footsteps of Women’s Volleyball & Women’s Soccer, seeding 32 teams. This does not change the 16 national seeds, but should help reward the top seeds with ‘easier’ matchups.

The Selection Committee will split the bracket into quadrants, seeding the top eight teams in each quadrant, similar to volleyball and soccer. The Top 16 seeds will be seeded as 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, but will still host regionals. The 17-32 seeds, or the two seeds in each region, will be seeded as 5s, 6s, 7s, and 8s, because seeding straight 1-32 would create inter-conference matchups, which are avoided. The committee won’t tell us exactly how 17-32 is ordered.

The Buckets

• National Seeds 1,2,3,4 will be the 1 seeds in each quadrant and match up with National Seeds 29, 30, 31, 32 seeds, which will be the 8 seeds in each quadrant and the two seeds in those respective regional
• National Seeds 5, 6, 7, 8 – 2 seeds in quadrant matched with National Seeds 25, 26, 27, 28 – 7 seeds in quadrant
• National Seeds 9, 10, 11, 12 – 3 seeds in quadrant matched with National Seeds 21, 22, 23, 24 – 6 seeds in quadrant
• National Seeds 13, 14, 15, 16 – 4 seeds in quadrant matched with National Seeds 17, 18, 19, 20 – 5 seeds in quadrant