Eighteen teams will compete in the tournament starting with opening rounds on May 6
Category: Sports
The 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship is set to kick off on May 6, featuring an 18-team, single-elimination tournament. The opening round will include two matchups, with the championship game scheduled for May 25 at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia, according to the NCAA.
This year’s tournament includes ten teams that received automatic qualifications and eight at-large selections. The four lowest-ranked automatic qualifier (AQ) teams will compete in the opening round for the final two spots in the championship bracket. The selection show was broadcast on ESPNU on May 3 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
The tournament will likely be competitive, with top contenders including Notre Dame, Princeton, defending champion Cornell, and rising power Richmond. Notre Dame has held the top spot during much of the season but has faced challenges, losing games to Virginia, the host of this year's semifinals and final.
The opening round will commence with two games on Wednesday, May 6. The matchups include Marist facing Stony Brook at 7 p.m. ET and Robert Morris going against Jacksonville at the same time, both streamed on ESPN+. The first round will continue with eight games from May 9 to May 10, featuring notable matchups such as No. 3 North Carolina against UAlbany and No. 1 Princeton against the winner of the Marist/Stony Brook game.
Quarterfinals are scheduled for May 16-17, with semifinal games set for May 23 at Scott Stadium. The championship game will take place on May 25, providing fans with a thrilling culmination to the tournament.
Among the teams competing, Penn State and Johns Hopkins represent the Big Ten Conference. Penn State earned the conference's automatic berth as the regular-season co-champion and tournament champion, boasting a record of 9-5. Johns Hopkins, also a co-champion, secured an at-large berth, returning to the tournament for the first time since 2024.
Penn State will host Army on May 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET, and Johns Hopkins will travel to New York to face No. 4 seed Cornell at 5 p.m. ET on the same day. This matchup marks Cornell's 32nd NCAA Tournament appearance, entering with an 11-4 record.
Stony Brook will also make its mark in the tournament, facing MAAC Champion Marist in the opening round. Stony Brook recently won its first-ever CAA Championship, breaking a 14-year NCAA Tournament drought. Their game against Marist is set for May 6 at 7 p.m. ET at Tenney Stadium in Poughkeepsie, New York. The winner will advance to meet No. 1 seed Princeton on May 10.
The NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship has a long and storied history, with Cornell claiming the title in 2025, defeating Maryland 13-10. This victory marked Cornell's first national championship in nearly 50 years. The tournament has seen various teams rise to prominence, with Syracuse and Johns Hopkins historically dominating the scene.
Since the tournament's inception, the format has evolved. The current single-elimination structure allows for intense competition, with teams vying for a chance at the championship. The tournament has produced legendary players and memorable moments, contributing to the sport's growing popularity across the United States.
As the tournament approaches, fans are eager to see how the teams will perform. The excitement surrounding the championship is heightened by the potential for upsets and the emergence of new powerhouse programs.
The upcoming matches promise to deliver thrilling lacrosse action. With the first round starting on May 6, teams will quickly shift their focus to securing a spot in the quarterfinals. The championship game on May 25 will culminate in a celebration of collegiate lacrosse.
For viewers, the tournament will be widely accessible, with games broadcast across multiple ESPN platforms. The opening round and quarterfinals will air on ESPNU, the semifinals on ESPN2, and the championship game on ESPN, ensuring that fans can follow their favorite teams throughout the tournament.
As the 2026 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship approaches, anticipation builds for what will likely be an exciting series of games featuring some of the best talent in college lacrosse.