With Selection Sunday for the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament set for Sunday, March 15, the secondary market is already giving fans an early look at where prices stand before the bracket is finalized. This year’s tournament will send the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight to Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, California, before the Women’s Final Four heads to Phoenix in early April.
That makes this week a useful snapshot for shoppers. Before teams and matchups are locked in, ticket prices tend to reflect the market’s broad expectations around demand, host-city appeal, and the premium attached to later-round access. Based on current listing data for available NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament tickets, the biggest takeaway is clear: the Final Four is already operating in a completely different price tier, while regional-session tickets still offer accessible entry points for fans looking to get in early.
Final Four tickets are already in premium territory
The strongest prices in the market belong to Phoenix, where the Women’s Final Four and national championship weekend are scheduled to cap the tournament. Even before the official bracket is announced, Final Four inventory is commanding significantly higher asking prices than regional rounds. The NCAA’s official schedule lists the women’s bracket reveal for March 15, with the tournament then continuing through the Final Four in Phoenix in early April.
In the current market data:
- Final Four All Sessions listings carry an average asking price of about $1,041, with a median of $864
- Final Four Session 2 listings average about $945, with a median of $772.50
- Final Four Session 1 listings average about $830, with a median of $483
That spread tells an important story for ticket buyers. The market is not just expensive at the top of the bracket; it is also highly variable. Some fans can still find comparatively lower-priced entry points for single Final Four sessions, but premium inventory is pushing the ceiling far higher than anything seen in the regional rounds.
For shoppers, that means waiting until after Selection Sunday could bring more clarity, but it may not necessarily mean lower prices for the Final Four. If powerhouse programs land on a collision course or if fan bases expected to travel well end up in favorable positions, demand could firm up even further.
Regional-session tickets look far more affordable
The regional rounds present a very different market. Compared with Phoenix, both Fort Worth and Sacramento offer a much more approachable starting point for fans searching for NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament tickets, Women’s March Madness tickets, or Sweet 16 tickets before the field is finalized.
Fort Worth single-session listings currently show:
- Session 1 average ask: about $104.84
- Session 2 average ask: about $104.99
- Session 3 average ask: about $110.12
- Session 4 average ask: about $113.09
Sacramento single-session listings are even lower on average:
- Session 1 average ask: about $88.57
- Session 2 average ask: about $84.46
- Session 3 average ask: about $93.18
- Session 4 average ask: about $92.11
The notable point here is that buyers still have a realistic chance to get into regional-session games at prices under $100 in some cases, especially in Sacramento. That gives the market a clear value tier for fans who want to experience the tournament atmosphere without paying Final Four-level prices.
Sacramento looks like the early value market
Among the two regional sites in the current listing data, Sacramento stands out as the softer market.
Median asking prices for Sacramento sessions range from $69 to $84, while Fort Worth sessions range from $87 to $101. In simple terms, Sacramento is currently the more affordable shopping destination before matchups are assigned.
That does not necessarily mean Sacramento will stay cheaper once the bracket is revealed. Prices can move quickly after Selection Sunday if a marquee program, a nearby school, or a team with a large traveling fan base lands in that regional. But for now, the Sacramento market is offering the most buyer-friendly entry points.
For fans comparing destinations before the bracket drops, that is one of the more useful signals in the data.
All-session packages come with a clear premium
Another notable trend is the pricing gap between single-session tickets and all-session packages.
Current averages show:
- Fort Worth Regional All Sessions: about $412.56
- Sacramento Regional All Sessions: about $410.35
Those averages sit well above the single-session markets in both cities. That premium makes sense. Buyers are paying for access across multiple sessions, plus the convenience of locking in a seat before the matchups are known.
For some shoppers, especially fans planning a full regional-weekend trip, the all-session option may still be the best strategic buy. But for casual fans or budget-conscious buyers, the single-session route remains the more economical way to attend.
Early outlook for NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament ticket buyers
At this stage of the market, the clearest takeaway is that regional rounds still offer value, while Final Four tickets are already priced like a premium event.
For fans shopping before Selection Sunday:
- Best early value: Sacramento regional sessions
- Solid mid-tier market: Fort Worth regional sessions
- Premium purchase: Phoenix Final Four inventory
- Commitment buy: regional all-session packages
That gives NCAA Women’s Basketball fans a useful split in the market. Buyers who want an affordable tournament experience still have options in the regional rounds, while those targeting the biggest stage should prepare for significantly higher prices even before the bracket is set.
Next week, after Selection Sunday, the real comparison begins. Once teams and matchups are finalized, it will be easier to see which sessions jump, which markets soften, and where fans may still be able to find relative value.
Note: Ticket prices referenced in this analysis reflect 3/12 data at the time of publication. Because ticket inventory and demand can change frequently, prices may fluctuate as the game dates approach.