Don’t miss any of the Women’s Basketball National Title Game
Don’t miss any of the Women’s Basketball National Title Game
There are tons of ways to catch every game of the tournament, but there is one that could let you stream it all for free.
After a hard-fought and controversial Final 4 Friday, there is only one game remaining in the 2025-26 women’s college basketball season. On Sunday, April 5, the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks and the No. 1 UCLA Bruins will face off for the national championship in Phoenix. Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks delivered No. 1 UConn with its first loss of the season, 62-48, and got under the skin of Huskies’ head coach Geno Auriemma in the process. Cori Close’s Bruins got the best of No. 1 Texas, 51-44. Now they will take to the court one more time with a national title hanging in the balance.
The championship action will begin at 3:30 p.m. on ABC and ESPN. The best way watch the tournament is via a live TV streaming service is with a 21-day free trial to YouTube TV. You can also watch every game on the new ESPN Unlimited streaming service.
How to watch the 2026 Women’s Championship Game
- When: Sunday, April 5, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. ET
- TV: ABC, ESPN
- Stream: Watch with a 21-day free trial to YouTube TV or via ESPN Unlimited.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know about the 2026 Women’s Championship Game
Watch a preview of the 2026 Women’s Championship Game
What is the schedule of 2026 Women’s Championship Game games?
National Title Game Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Channel | Streamer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, April 5 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 1 UCLA | ABC, ESPN | ESPN |
When does the 2026 Women’s Championship Game take place?
The Final Four will consist of two games on Friday, April 3, emanating from Phoenix, Arizona. They will air on ESPN and ESPN2 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET. The main network will carry the traditional broadcast, while ESPN2 will be the home of a special Courtside at the Women’s Final Four alt-cast.
Then, the winners of those two games will meet for the national title on the ESPN family of networks two days later on Sunday, April 5, at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with the alt-cast happening on ESPN.
What channels will air the 2026 Women’s Championship Game?
As has been the case for many years, the women’s tournament broadcast rights are owned completely by Disney. So that means that all of the games will be available on the ESPN family of networks. The majority of the tournament will be available on ESPN and ESPN2, but ESPNU and ESPNEWS will also host games early in the tournament.
This year also marks the first March for ESPN Unlimited, the worldwide leader in sports’ standalone streaming service. For $30 per month, you get access to everything available on the ESPN channels (including sports on ABC), as well as ESPN+ streaming exclusives, replays, the on-demand library, and more.
ESPN Unlimited
ESPN launched its highly anticipated direct-to-consumer streaming service on August 21, 2025. For the first time, this service gives sports fans access to its full lineup of linear channels without a traditional cable or satellite subscription.
Why we recommend watching the 2026 Women’s Championship Game on YouTube TV
YouTube TV takes our top spot this year because the biggest live TV streaming service on the market is currently offering an incredible 21-day free trial, which is long enough to allow you to watch all of the men’s and women’s tournaments without having to pay a penny.
Then, after the three-week trial is over, you can get your next two months for just $60 per month, which is 28% off the normal total of $83 monthly. Now, keep in mind that it does not appear to be available to all customers. So, it is definitely worth investigating, especially since YouTube TV carries all of the channels covering the tournament in its base package, as well as local channels in nearly every market. But realize that the free trial period offered to you could be considerably shorter than a full three weeks.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The base plan includes more than 100 live channels, including major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as popular cable channels such as ESPN, CNN, FX, USA Network, and TNT. Local channels are included in most markets, making YouTube TV a full replacement for traditional cable for many viewers.
If you try the YouTube TV, but aren’t satisfied with your free-trial offer, then Sling TV might be a better fit. Its Orange package includes ESPN and ESPN2, which will cover the majority of the tournament, and you can add on the Sports Extra add-on pack to get ESPNEWS and ESPNU as well.
The Orange plan starts at $46 per month normally, but with a limited-time discount, you can get it 50% off for one month, lowering the price to $23. Then, the Sports Extra will cost another $11, bringing your total up to $34, the cheapest option to stream the tournament.
The one downside to this option is that Sling does not carry ABC in every market across the country. And since the national title game is on the broadcast channel, it will be important that you confirm ABC is available in your area before signing up.
In what markets does Sling TV provide ABC?
| ABC market | Channel call sign |
|---|---|
| Chicago | WLS |
| Fresno | KFSN |
| Houston | KTRK |
| Los Angeles | KABC |
| New York | WABC |
| Philadelphia | WPVI |
| Raleigh-Durham | WTVD |
| San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose | KGO |
Sling TV
Sling TV is The Streamable’s choice for cord-cutters on a budget. Sling is a live TV streaming service with multiple channel packages. The $45.99/month Sling Orange plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $45.99/month Sling Blue plan offers about 40 channels, including ABC, Fox, and NBC in major markets.
You can combine Orange+Blue for a total of $60.99 / month. Sling also offers many channel add-on packages starting at $6/month.
Can you watch 2026 NCAA Women’s Championship Game for free?
In addition to the three-week free trial that might be available via YouTube TV, there are a number of other live TV streaming services that will be carrying all of the games, none of them. However, none will be offering anything nearly long enough to get from the first round through “One Shining Moment.”
However, if you want to check out the action-packed First Round for free, then I would recommend Hulu + Live TV. Not only does it offer a three-day free trial, but it also provides access to all of the channels you need to watch the entirety of the men’s tournament as well as the women’s tournament.
But what really separates Hulu + Live TV from its competitors is the added value it provides that no one else can. In addition to all of the live broadcast and cable channels, the streamer throws in the on-demand Hulu platform, all of Disney+, and ESPN Unlimited at no extra cost. So, for the price of one live streaming service, you get two of the best on-demand streamers and the most popular sports-focused streamer on the market. And when it comes to coverage of the women’s tournament, having access to everything that ESPN has to offer in a single service is pretty clutch.
Now, if you are looking for a way to check out the first weekend of the Big Dance without having to pay, then DIRECTV STREAM is also a very good option. The streamer has the industry’s longest guaranteed trial at five days, meaning that you can watch all of the first and second rounds for free. Fubo also carries all of the channels covering the women’s tournament and can offer a free trial from one to seven days.
If you are looking to watch the game for free, I would recommend YouTube TV, because of the possibility to stream the entire tournament for free.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| ABC | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ESPN | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN Deportes | + $4 | + $20 | + $0 | - | - | - | + $6 | - | - | |
| ESPN2 | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
How to watch the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament from anywhere
If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch the tournament as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action no matter where you are in the world with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer and make you appear to be back home — even when you’re not — making sure you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Keep in mind that you will still need to be subscribed to a live TV streaming like Sling TV in order to stream the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament with a VPN.
NordVPN is one of the best providers around, at one of the best prices. Currently, you can get two full years of protection for just $3.59 per month — plus you’ll get three extra months FREE. A high-speed VPN with best-in-class security that can be used on up to 10 devices at once — what more could you ask for? Simply sign up, install the software on your device of choice, and start streaming just as you would back home. It couldn’t be easier!
While NordVPN is our recommendation for the best VPN to use while you are traveling, there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.
- Best Features: ExpressVPN | Starting at $5 per month
- Best Budget Option: Surfshark | Starting at $2.50 per month
- Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available