{"id":21007,"date":"2026-03-10T13:31:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T10:31:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/?p=21007"},"modified":"2026-03-10T13:31:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T10:31:24","slug":"how-to-watch-march-madness-in-the-uk-2026-tv-live-stream-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/how-to-watch-march-madness-in-the-uk-2026-tv-live-stream-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Watch March Madness in the UK? (2026 TV & Live Stream Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In March, all basketball fans in the U.S. and across the globe are glued to their screens, watching <\/span>March Madness<\/span><\/i>. It\u2019s the popular nickname for the NCAA Division I Men\u2019s Basketball Tournament, a 68-team single-elimination competition. With a history that\u2019s filled with great upsets and beautiful Cinderella stories, March Madness stands out as Must-See TV.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 2026 tournament will begin on 15 March. The competition runs all the way through to the championship game on 6 April. It will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. If you\u2019re based in the UK and want to see the action live, you\u2019ll need a guide. Since there\u2019s a time difference, knowing how to watch March Madness in the UK can be super helpful. So, if you\u2019re planning a late-night viewing session, get to know March Madness Live streaming options for the UK right here!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Is March Madness on TV in the UK?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Yes, Sky Sports holds the UK broadcasting rights for March Madness. Sky Sports has actually been streaming the tournament for a number of years now. If you want to watch the games live, you can do it via Sky Sports+. In addition, the network usually shows selected high-profile games on Sky Sports Main Event, usually during the later rounds, though.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, there is no free-to-air coverage of March Madness in the UK. Coverage is comprehensive and live across all rounds. Games on Sky Sports aren\u2019t limited to highlights or delayed broadcasts. UK viewers should be able to enjoy broadcasts from Across the Pond as they unfold.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Subscription costs can vary, so make sure to contact your TV provider or check out information on Sky\u2019s website.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth mentioning that short highlight reels and individual game recaps are occasionally published on the official free NCAA YouTube channel, but they\u2019re not a substitute for the live game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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How to Watch March Madness Live Streams in the UK?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s look at the options for watching available to those in the UK for watching.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sky Sports & Sky Go \u2013 Home of March Madness<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re already a subscriber, use Sky Go \u2013 a built-in streaming service that lets you watch any Sky Sports channel on a 2<\/span>nd<\/span> screen. The Sky Go app is free for subscribers and available on iOS, Android, XBOX & PlayStation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once downloaded, just log in using your Sky Account and launch Sky Sports+ or Sky Sports Main Event during a scheduled game. If you want to watch games on your laptop or desktop, go to <\/span>the Sky Go website (tv.sky.com). <\/span>Please remember that<\/span> this service<\/span> is geo-restricted, meaning you won\u2019t be able to stream from outside British territory.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Now \u2013 for Those that Don\u2019t Use Sky<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you don\u2019t have a Sky TV subscription, use Now. It\u2019s the most convenient way to access Sky Sports for March Madness without committing to a long-term plan.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now has a flexible Sports Membership for around \u00a334.99 per month (please check, as prices can change; these figures are accurate at the time of writing). This subscription should unlock access to all Sky Sports channels, including Sky Sports+ (home of March Madness). You can subscribe just for the duration of the tournament, if you\u2019re interested.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From a user\u2019s POV, Now is available as an app on smart TVs, Fire TV Stick, Roku, Apple TV, iOS, Android, tablets, and laptops. It also supports Chromecast and AirPlay for casting to a bigger screen.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Watching Internationally with the Help of Streaming Services<\/b><\/h3>\n

Since the US is home to March Madness, its domestic audiences can watch the games live across 4 networks. US-based streaming services such as Paramount+ (for CBS games), Max (for TBS\/TNT\/truTV games), YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and DirecTV Stream carry all four channels. However, these services are also geo-restricted, meaning that you can\u2019t access the content from the UK.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you think about using a VPN, it may violate service terms, create network issues or simply not work. With official broadcasts available on Sky Sports via Sky Go or Now, it remains by far the simplest and most straightforward way to enjoy top college basketball.<\/span><\/p>\n

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March Madness UK Start Times<\/b><\/h2>\n

If we talk about watching March Madness in the UK, we must mention the time difference. During the early rounds, the UK is 5 hours ahead of US ET.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From March 29, however, the UK moves to BST, which is five hours ahead of ET during the day but six hours ahead of EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) \u2013 since the US does not change its clocks right away. Sounds complicated? Yes, it\u2019s a bit tough to catch on, but just know that the gap will shrink to 4 hours for the later rounds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To help out, we prepared a round-by-round reference table that may help you out<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Round<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nUS Dates<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nTypical US Tip-off (ET)<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nUK Time (GMT\/BST)<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
First Four<\/span><\/td>\n17\u201318 Mar<\/span><\/td>\n~6:40 PM & 9:10 PM ET<\/span><\/td>\n11:40 PM & 2:10 AM GMT<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
First Round<\/span><\/td>\n19\u201320 Mar<\/span><\/td>\nFrom ~12:15 PM ET<\/span><\/td>\nFrom ~5:15 PM GMT<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Second Round<\/span><\/td>\n21\u201322 Mar<\/span><\/td>\nFrom ~12:15 PM ET<\/span><\/td>\nFrom ~5:15 PM GMT<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sweet 16<\/span><\/td>\n26\u201327 Mar<\/span><\/td>\n~7:10 PM & ~9:40 PM ET<\/span><\/td>\n~12:10 AM & ~2:40 AM GMT<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elite Eight<\/span><\/td>\n28\u201329 Mar<\/span><\/td>\n~6:10 PM & ~8:50 PM ET<\/span><\/td>\n~11:10 PM GMT \/ ~12:50 AM BST<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Final Four<\/span><\/td>\n4 Apr<\/span><\/td>\n~6:10 PM & ~8:50 PM ET<\/span><\/td>\n~10:10 PM & ~12:50 AM BST<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Championship<\/span><\/td>\n6 Apr<\/span><\/td>\n~8:30 PM ET<\/span><\/td>\n~1:30 AM BST (Mon 7 Apr)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Key takeaways for UK viewers: 1<\/span>st<\/span> and 2<\/span>nd<\/span> round games are most viewer-friendly in the UK, with tip-offs as early as ~5:15 PM. However, the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four and the Championship primarily fall to the late-night hours, so you should prepare in advance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Can You Watch March Madness for Free in the UK?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Since free-to-air broadcasters don\u2019t hold the rights for this tournament, there are only limited options to watch March Madness for free in the UK. Here\u2019s a short rundown:<\/span><\/p>\n