News - Obama's 2026 March Madness Predictions Revealed

In an exciting tradition that engages fans across the nation, former President Barack Obama has revealed his picks for the 2026 NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments. Diving into the brackets, Obama predicts a thrilling victory for Arizona over Duke for the men’s championship, while envisioning UConn overpowering UCLA in the women's final. As excitement builds, the men's tournament kicks off on Thursday, followed by the women's first-round games on Friday. Notably, Obama’s prior brackets have been famous for their unexpected outcomes, with last year's picks featuring both runner-ups as projected champions. Despite his choices falling short, Obama remains a committed enthusiast and continues to generate buzz with each selection. In last year's tournament, Obama forecasted Duke to surpass Florida in the men’s championship, only to witness a shocking Final Four defeat by Houston, leading to a Florida victory. Similarly, for the women, his prediction of South Carolina overcoming UCLA was thwarted by UConn's remarkable comeback in the finals. This year, Obama included top women's seeds — UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas — in his Final Four predictions, whereas surprises loom in the men’s bracket. He anticipates both Michigan and Florida to stumble in the Elite Eight, allowing Iowa State and Illinois to progress. Obama’s knack for anticipating first-round surprises is evident in his projections for South Florida and UCF to upset Louisville and UCLA respectively in the men’s matchups. Other bold projections include Tennessee besting Virginia in the second round and Miami (Ohio) facing an early exit despite an undefeated regular season. First launching his March Madness brackets in 2009 shortly after taking office, Obama’s journey began with selecting North Carolina for the men’s championship. Ever since, his annual releases have captivated basketball lovers and brought an engaging twist to the beloved tournament.