College basketball’s regular season is expanding. The NCAA Division I Council approved on Wednesday an increase from 31 to 32 games, beginning with the 2026-27 season, sources told CBS Sports. The vote was a rubber-stamp move after the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees voted in favor of the change back in late March.
The update comes after a 19-year run of a 31-game maximum for the regular season. Since 2006-07, the format was 28 or 29 predetermined games, plus allowance for three-game or two-game multi-team events added in (making it a 31-game cap). Starting in 2026, teams won’t be required to play 32 games, they’ll merely have the option to do so — with most expected to up their quota by one under the new rule.
The increase will also push teams that make the NCAA championship game to play in as many as 41 games.
The primary issue driving the decision to go to 32 is tied to multi-team events (MTEs), which had become more restrictive with some of their NCAA guidelines due to conference expansion leading to schools from the same leagues playing in the same events. That was previously not allowed (but now is via a waiver). Additionally, sometimes three-game MTEs were roadblocks for a variety of schools trying to work through the logistics of nonconference scheduling.
Brandon Roy Jr. commits to Washington, son of ex-NBA star adds to loaded Huskies recruiting class
Carter Bahns
The 32-game limit will include all games, meaning contests against non-Division I opponents also count toward…
..
