Where to watch college basketball: Live stream the remainder of the 2026 season
When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Kamil Krzaczynski/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
As the college basketball regular season reaches its last couple of weeks and March Madness approaches, it might be time to start tuning into games to help determine your bracket. We've gathered everything you need to know about where to watch college basketball, including live streaming options for those without cable.
The UConn Huskies women's team and Florida Gators men's team won their respective National Championships in 2025, and it's safe to say that both teams started the season looking to go back-to-back. UConn has held up its end of the bargain, currently undefeated and ranked No. 1 at the time of writing. Currently ranked No. 12, the Gators have had a trickier season. Instead, the Michigan Wolverines have risen to the top of the pack, only dropping one game so far this season. The Houston Cougars, who lost to the Gators in the National Championship last year, are ranked No. 2 and clearly vying for another shot at the title.
Below, we've outlined some of your best watch options for tuning into the remainder of the college basketball season, including services that carry both men's and women's games. DirecTV is one of the best ways to live stream the most games with just one subscription, but we'll also recommend a few other helpful services, including ESPN Unlimited and Sling TV.
- See also: Michigan Wolverines tickets | Where to watch T20 World Cup cricket | How to watch NBA games
Where to watch college basketball in the US
In the US, men's and women's college basketball games are spread across several networks and streaming services. Many games, especially those that don't have a major broadcast slot, are available as ESPN Plus exclusives. Games also air on networks like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, the SEC Network, the ACC Network, ABC, FOX, FS1, CBS, CBS Sports Network, the CW Network, Big Ten Network, USA Network, TNT, TBS, and truTV, among others. Select games will also be available through Peacock.
Some games will occasionally air on other niche networks or streamers, so this is a non-exhaustive list, but the channels and services we've highlighted above will feature the bulk of the national broadcasts.
The massive selection of networks means that cord-cutting college basketball fans looking to watch most men's and women's games will find the most success by combining an ESPN Select or Unlimited subscription with a live TV package such as DirecTV or Sling (if you opt for DirecTV, you'll get ESPN Unlimited thrown in at no extra cost). We'll break down three of your best options below, and highlight a few other services that might be of interest.
ESPN Unlimited
ESPN Plus exclusives are available through paid ESPN streaming service subscriptions. ESPN subscriptions start at $13 a month for ESPN Select, which carries select content, including ESPN Plus exclusive games. If you're a college basketball fanatic, we recommend ESPN Unlimited, which costs $30 a month. The Unlimited tier carries ESPN Plus games, in addition to live streams from ESPN's full family of networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, the ACC Network, the SEC Network, and ESPN on ABC content, along with other programming.
DirecTV
If you're searching for a comprehensive app, look no further than DirecTV. It ranks as the top cable alternative in our guide to the best live TV streaming services for a reason. You can find pretty much any channel you'd like through one of the streamer's many plans, but if you're looking for something that will show you most nationally broadcast college basketball games without breaking the bank, we recommend DirecTV's MySports genre pack.
DirecTV MySports carries around 20 key sports networks in its lineup, including ESPN, the ACC Network, the SEC Network, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, FS1, TBS, TNT, truTV, the Big Ten Network, and local networks like FOX, NBC, ABC, and CBS (although some local channels might be subject to regional variability, so it's a good idea to see what's available in your ZIP code before signing up). Notably, DirecTV MySports also unlocks access to ESPN Unlimited at no extra charge, so you can catch all of those ESPN Plus exclusive games. MySports plans cost $70 a month, but new customers can get $10 a month off their first two months after a five-day free trial.
Sling TV
A nice budget live TV streaming service is Sling. While it doesn't offer as many relevant channels as DirecTV, it has a solid lineup for its price. At $46 a month, Sling Orange carries ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, and around 30 other channels. You can get channels like the ACC Network and SEC Network through the Sports Extra add-on for a higher price, or you can combine Sling Orange with Sling Blue for additional channels such as the USA Network, FS1, and local channels like NBC, ABC, and FOX in select regions. Sling Orange also comes in handy, with cheaper, short-term packages that can be helpful if you're only looking to watch one specific game or tune in for a single week or weekend.
These are the best sports streaming services we recommend for college basketball, but there are several other streamers that will help you watch select games. Fubo carries around 25 popular networks (including FOX, FS1, CBS, ABC, ESPN, and other ESPN networks) in its Sports + News plan for just $56 a month. It also unlocks ESPN Unlimited access. New users can get $10 off their first month of service after a five-day free trial.
With sports-capable plans starting at $11 a month, Peacock will also allow you to live stream select games. HBO Max's ad-free tiers also carry access to select games through the B/R Sports Add-on. Sports-friendly subscriptions start at $18.49 a month and will be particularly helpful during March Madness. If you're only interested in games airing on FOX properties (including FOX and FS1), then the FOX One streaming service might be worth a look. Plans start at $20 a month.
How to watch college basketball from anywhere
If you're traveling away from home, you can keep up with your usual services with the aid of a VPN, or virtual private network. VPNs are handy tech tools that let you change the virtual location on your electronic device. This way, you can access your usual websites and apps from anywhere. They're also instant ways to boost online security and privacy. Since the services we've recommended require US methods of payment, this option will work best for Americans who are simply traveling abroad at the moment.
If we could only draft one VPN pick, it would be NordVPN. It's an easy-to-use service (even for beginners) and comes with a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee if you find that it's not what you're looking for. You can learn more in our official NordVPN review.
Note: Using VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.