What teams will make up the Final Four in the 2021 NCAA Tournament?
That’s a question we haven’t been able to ask for nearly two calendar years, since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused March Madness to become the world’s first major sporting event to be canceled. Which makes the question all the more intriguing in 2021.
This season, it seems as if Gonzaga, Baylor and Michigan are the top picks to make the Final Four, followed by several more Big Ten teams such as Illinois, Ohio State and Iowa. While it’s certainly possible the Final Four comprises some combination of those teams, there’s a reason they call it March Madness.
MORE: Watch select NCAA Tournament games on fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Several teams could upset the established favorites — such as Alabama, Villanova, Houston, Florida State and more — but it likely will come down to which team’s dominant players play their best at the most opportune time: guys such as Iowa’s Luka Garza, Gonzaga’s Drew Timme and Corey Kispert, Houston’s Quentin Grimes and more.
The ultimate goal is the Final Four and, from there, the national championship. Who ultimately makes it remains to be seen, but we can’t wait to finally, finally, watch and find out. With that, here’s everything you need to know about the Final Four in 2021, including dates, times, venues and more:
When is the Final Four in 2021?
- Dates: April 3, 5
The Final Four round will take place on Saturday, April 3 in Inidnapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, which will serve as the sole venue for the NCAA Tournament from the Elite Eight onward. The first semifinal game is tentatively scheduled for 5 p.m. ET; the next game will tip off shortly after the first has concluded. Both teams will have April 4 off to prepare for the national championship game, which takes place at 9 p.m. ET on Monday, April 5.
Final Four schedule 2021
| Date | Time (ET) | Game |
| April 3 | 5 p.m. | Final Four (Semifinal 1) |
| TBD | Final Four (Semifinal 2) | |
| April 5 | 9 p.m. | National championship game |
Where is the Final Four in 2021?
- Location: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
The 2021 Final Four will take place in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It will cap an all-Indiana NCAA Tournament, with the vast majority of games taking place inside the host city. Only two venues outside the city will host NCAA Tournament games: Mackey Arena (West Lafayette, Ind.) and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (Bloomington, Ind.).
How to watch the 2021 Final Four
Final Four TV schedule
CBS has broadcast rights for the Final Four and national title game, having signed a 2016 agreement with Turner Sports to alternate broadcast rights for those rounds every year. CBS hasn’t yet released its announcer pairings for the 2021 Final Four or national championship.
| Round | TV channel |
| Final Four | CBS |
| National championship | CBS |
Final Four streaming options
Cord-cutters hoping to tune into the 2021 Final Four have myriad options, including NCAA March Madness Live, Paramount+ (a rebrand of CBS All Access) and fuboTV, which offers a 7-day free trial.
Future Final Four locations
Following the 2021 NCAA Tournament, March Madness will move to New Orleans in 2022, Houston in 2023, Phoenix in 2024 and San Antonio in 2025 before returning to Indianapolis in 2026. Below are the full dates for the Final Four in each of the next five seasons.
| Year | Host city | Venue | Dates |
| 2022 | New Orleans | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | April 2, 4 |
| 2023 | Houston | NRG Stadium | April 1, 3 |
| 2024 | Glendale, Ariz. | State Farm Stadium | April 6, 8 |
| 2025 | San Antonio | Alamodome | April 5, 7 |
| 2026 | Indianapolis | Lucas Oil Stadium | April 4, 6 |
How to buy Final Four tickets
The dates to buy First Four and first-round tickets through the NCAA have already passed. Below are the dates to buy tickets through the organization for each of the ensuing rounds, from Round 2 through the Elite Eight (the NCAA has not yet released information regarding Final Four information):
Ticket portals open at 10 a.m. ET
- Round 2: Thursday, March 11
- Sweet 16: Tuesday, March 16
- Elite Eight: Tuesday, March 16
2021 Final Four ticket prices
As of Wednesday, March 10, the only publicly available Final Four tickets are via Vivid Seats: The cheapest option available $1,477 each for two tickets.