March Madness 2026: How many NCAA tournament brackets remain perfect?
It might be time to grab your second, third, or even fourth bracket.
March Madness 2026: How many NCAA tournament brackets remain perfect? originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Following Thursday night's first round of action, very few brackets remain perfect—only about 0. 04%, according to the NCAA. This year, ESPN reported that 26 million brackets were submitted for the 2026 Men's Tournament.
This total only accounts for their platform and does not include other sites that also accept brackets. It is estimated that the additional outlets total nearly 26 million brackets. How many NCAA brackets remain perfect?
The NCAA weighs in after Thursday night. When considering only digital entries, the NCAA projects that only 14,000 brackets remain perfect. However, the NCAA doesn't account for traditional pen-and-paper brackets; it is estimated that between 60 and 70 million people fill out a bracket for the tournament.