The 2026 NCAA March Madness tournament is a major driver of sports tourism across the U.S.
Dayton, Ohio, will host the ‘First Four’ games on March 17 and 18 to kick off the tournament.
First and second-round games will be held in various cities, including Buffalo, San Diego, and Philadelphia.
Many hotels close to the stadiums across the country still have limited availability.
2026 is the year for sports travel, from the Winter Olympics and the World Baseball Classic, to increased traffic in many major cities for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. Those are all unique to this year—while the NCAA March Madness tournament happens every year, it still drives tourism to the host sites for basketball fans from all over the country.
Whether you’re heading to Dayton, Ohio in the hopes of catching the beginning of an incredible Cinderella story, heading to a host site like San Diego to see your favorite team play between trips to the beach, or headed to Philadelphia for a little history lesson between games, you’ll have plenty of options on where to stay. The USA TODAY Shopping team has curated some hotel options for you, depending on your location.
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Where to stay for March Madness
If you’re waiting to see where your team is going to play in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, bookmark this page, a list of all the men’s March Madness sites for the first week of games, and available hotels by proximity to the stadiums.
See all March Madness hotel options
Where to stay in Dayton for March Madness
Dayton, Ohio is going to host the first two games of the March Madness tournament, on March 17 and March 18. These two games are known as the ‘first four’—the first four games in the March Madness bracket, which are play-in games for the at-large bid teams and the No. 16-seeded teams. We won’t know the teams or the matchups until the bracket is revealed, but it will be two nights with two games each. See hotels close to the University of Dayton arena.
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Where to stay in Buffalo for March Madness
Buffalo is one of the host sites for the first and second round. First round games will take place March 19-20, while second round games will take place March 21-22. Games will be played at KeyBank Center, home of the Buffalo Sabres, but the NCAA tournament matchups have not been announced yet. See hotels close to the KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
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Where to stay in Greenville for March Madness
Greenville, S.C. is one of the host sites for the first and second round. First round games will take place March 19-20, while second round games will take place March 21-22. Games will be played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, which is home to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL, but the NCAA tournament matchups have not been announced yet. See hotels close to the stadium in Greenville.
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Where to stay in Oklahoma City for March Madness
Oklahoma City is one of the host sites for the first and second round. First round games will take place March 19-20, while second round games will take place March 21-22. Games will be played at Paycom Center, which is home to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the NCAA tournament matchups have not been announced yet. See hotels close to the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
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Where to stay in Portland for March Madness
Portland, Ore. is one of the host sites for the first and second round. First round games will take place March 19-20, while second round games will take place March 21-22. Games will be played at Moda Center, which is home to the Portland Trailblazers, but the NCAA tournament matchups have not been announced yet. See hotels close to the Moda Center in Portland.
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Where to stay in Tampa for March Madness
Tampa, Fla. is one of the host sites for the first and second round. First round games will take place March 19-20, while second round games will take place March 21-22. Games will be played at Benchmark International Arena, which is home to the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the NCAA tournament matchups have not been announced yet. See hotels close to the stadium in Tampa.
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Where to stay in Philadelphia for March Madness
Philadelphia is one of the host sites for the first and second round. First round games will take place March 19-20, while second round games will take place March 21-22. Games will be played at Xfinity Mobile Arena, home of the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers, but the NCAA tournament matchups have not been announced yet. See hotels close to the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
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Where to stay in San Diego for March Madness?
San Diego is one of the host sites for the first and second round. First round games will take place March 19-20, while second round games will take place March 21-22. Games will be played at Viejas Arena, home of the San Diego Aztecs men’s and women’s basketball teams, but the NCAA tournament matchups have not been announced yet. See hotels close to Viejas Arena in San Diego.
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Where to stay in St. Louis for March Madness?
St. Louis is one of the host sites for the first and second round. First round games will take place March 19-20, while second round games will take place March 21-22. Games will be played at Enterprise Arena, home of the St. Louis Blues, but the NCAA tournament matchups have not been announced yet. See hotels close to Enterprise Arena in St. Louis.
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When is March Madness 2026?
The 2026 March Madness tournament will kick off after the 68-team bracket is revealed on Selection Sunday, which lands on Sunday, March 15 this year. The tournament will continue through March, ending with the Final Four on Saturday, April 4 and the National Championship game on Monday, April 6.
March Madness 2026 full schedule for the men’s tournament