32 games across two days? It could only be March Madness! For many, the early stages of the tournament is the pinnacle of March Madness. And this year, the gap between the best and the rest is tantalizingly narrow. We smell upsets.
Read on and we'll show you how to watch First Round 2025 without cable and from anywhere with a VPN.
The First Round runs from March 20 –21. Full schedule below. Game 1 starts at 12:15 p.m. ET.
• U.S. — TBS, TNT, TruTV via Sling TV, CBS via Paramount Plus
• Australia — Kayo Sports 7-day free trial
• Unblock streams — Try NordVPN 100% risk free
Auburn is a No.1, yet they enter the tournament off the back of a humbling three defeats in four.
Duke is the odds-on favorite to win the tournament, and it looks like their start player Cooper Flag has been cleared to play following an ankle injury.
On paper, the games that look ripest for an upset include No.4 Texas A&M vs No.13 Yale (Thursday, 7:25 p.m. ET, TBS), No.5 Michigan vs No.12 UC San Diego (Thursday, 10 p.m. ET, TBS), No.6 Ole Miss vs No.11 North Carolina (Friday, 4:05 p.m. ET, TNT), and No.4 Arizona vs No.13 Akron (Friday, 7:35 p.m. ET, TruTV), but this being March Madness, there's every chance the shocks will come elsewhere.
Every year, a new cult hero emerges who transcends college ties and rivalries. Last year, it was NC State's DJ Burns, and hopes are high for Auburn's Chad Baker-Mazara, who's just as likely to win a game as lose it by getting ejected.
Here's how to watch First Round live streams online. Don’t miss any of the main event itself by following our how to watch March Madness live streams guide.
How to watch First Round online from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the round of 64 on your subscriptions?
You can still watch your usual First Round live stream thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software makes your devices appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are.
So it's ideal for hoops fans away on vacation or on business. NordVPN is best and our NordVPN review explains why.
Watch First Round live streams in the U.S.
In the U.S., First Round games are being shown across TBS, TNT, TruTV and CBS.
If you've already cut the cord and don't have a cable package, you can watch every single game — not only of the round of 64, but March Madness as a whole — through an inexpensive OTT cable TV alternative.
Sling TV is one of the better options. It includes TBS and TNT in its Orange plan, with prices starting from $45.99/month and your first month half-price.
You can add CBS with a subscription to Paramount Plus Premium ($12.99 per month). Together, those cost $58.98 per month — but only $35.99 for your first month — which is less than Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu with live TV, and one of the cheapest and most reliable ways of watch all of March Madness 2025.
Max is another option. It will live stream all of the games that are shown on TBS, TNT and TruTV. Plans start at $9.99/month, though you'll need to pay $16/month to go ad-free, and $20/month to stream in 4K.
Scroll down for a breakdown of which games are on which channels.
How to watch First Round live streams in the U.K.
The First Round, along with every single game of March Madness, is being shown on Sky Sports in the U.K.. Games will go out on Sky Sports+, and occasionally on Sky Sports Main Event.
Sky Sports subscribers can watch the basketball on the go on mobile devices via the Sky Go streaming service, which has dedicated apps for iOS, iPadOS and Android devices, along with Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
If you want to sign up, you can check out our dedicated guide to Sky TV deals and packages for today's best prices.
If you're not in the U.K. right now, one of the best VPN services will help tap into your domestic coverage of the First Round. We recommend NordVPN.
How to watch First Round live streams in Canada
All 2025 March Madness First Round games are live on TSN and TSN+, which are providing comprehensive March Madness coverage.
The streaming service lets you get access to all TSN has to offer on an $8/month or $80/year subscription basis.
If you're away from home and struggling to tap into your subscriptions, you could use a VPN to help you access a First Round stream from anywhere. We recommend NordVPN.
How to watch March Madness First Round games online in Australia
Aussies will find all the First Round live streams on ESPN via Foxtel, whcih is providing comprehensive March Madness coverage.
Don't have Foxtel and don't want to subscribe? Specialist streaming service Kayo Sports will also be showing the round of 64, with its affordable, commitment-free plans starting from just $25/month, and hosting plenty of cricket, AFL, rugby, F1 and loads of other live sports besides.
There's also a 7-day FREE trial for anybody who hasn't used the service before.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action on your Kayo account as if you were back home.
First Round schedule 2025
Thursday, March 20
12:15 p.m. — No.9 Creighton vs No.8 Louisville (CBS)
12:40 p.m. — No.13 High Point vs No.4 Purdue (TruTV)
1:30 p.m. — No.14 Montana vs No.3 Wisconsin (TNT)
2 p.m. — No.16 SIU Edwardsville vs No.1 Houston (TBS)
2:50 p.m. — No.16 Alabama State vs No.1 Auburn (CBS)
3:15 p.m. — No.12 McNeese vs No.5 Clemson (TruTV)
4:05 p.m. — No.11 VCU vs No.6 BYU (TNT)
4:35 p.m. — No.9 Georgia vs No.8 Gonzaga (TBS)
6:50 p.m. — No.15 Wofford vs No.2 Tennessee (TNT)
7:10 p.m. — No.10 Arkansas vs No.7 Kansas (CBS)
7:25 p.m. — No.13 Yale vs No.4 Texas A&M (TBS)
7:35 p.m. — No.11 Drake vs No.6 Missouri (TruTV)
9:25 p.m. — No.10 Utah State vs No.7 UCLA (TNT)
9:45 p.m. — No.15 Omaha vs No.2 St. John's (CBS)
10 p.m. — No.12 UC San Diego vs No.5 Michigan (TBS)
10:10 p.m. — No.14 UNCW vs No.3 Texas Tech (TruTV)
Friday, March 21
12:15 p.m. — No.9 Baylor vs No.8 Mississippi State (CBS)
12:40 p.m. — No.15 Robert Morris vs No.2 Alabama (TruTV)
1:30 p.m. — No.14 Lipscomb vs No.3 Iowa State (TNT)
2 p.m. — No.12 Colorado State vs No.5 Memphis (TBS)
2:50 p.m. — No.16 Mount St. Mary's/American vs No.1 Duke (CBS)
3:15 p.m. — No.10 Vanderbilt vs No.7 Saint Mary's (TruTV)
4:05 p.m. — No.11 North Carolina vs No.6 Ole Miss (TNT)
4:35 p.m. — No.13 Grand Canyon vs No.4 Maryland (TBS)
6:50 p.m. — No.16 Norfolk State vs No.1 Florida (TNT)
7:10 p.m. — No.14 Troy vs No.3 Kentucky (CBS)
7:25 p.m. — No.10 New Mexico vs No.7 Marquette (TBS)
7:35 p.m. — No.13 Akron vs No.4 Arizona (TruTV)
9:25 p.m. — No.9 Oklahoma vs No.8 UConn (TNT)
9:45 p.m. — No.11 Xavier/Texas vs No.6 Illinois (CBS)
10 p.m. — No.15 Bryant vs No.2 Michigan State (TBS)
10:10 p.m. — No.12 Liberty vs No.5 Oregon (TruTV)
(All times ET)
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