IRVING, Texas – The American Conference has announced its men’s basketball conference schedule for the 2025-26 season.
 
Each team in the American will play 18 league games, including six of its 12 conference opponents twice and the other six once – three at home and three on the road.
 
The conference slate begins December 31, 2025 with five matchups, including defending American regular-season and tournament champion Memphis hosting North Texas, last season’s regular-season runner-up. Conference action concludes on March 8, 2026.
 
Beginning this season, the 2026 American Men’s Basketball Championship will feature the top 10 teams in a new five-day bracket format. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds will advance directly to the semifinals, while the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds will maintain byes to the quarterfinals. The No. 5 and No. 6 seeds will receive byes to the second round. The 2026 Championship will run Wednesday through Sunday, March 11-15 at the Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
The 2025-26 season will be the American’s sixth under its media rights extension with ESPN, which will allow for a minimum of 56 conference-controlled games to be televised on either ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. A minimum of 23 of those contests will be on either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.
 
In addition, CBS will broadcast one conference-controlled contest that was previously announced, Memphis hosting Baylor on December 6, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern/3:30 p.m. Central.
 
The remaining conference-controlled games will stream on ESPN+ on the recently enhanced ESPN App, the preeminent digital sports destination. ESPN+ is available via ESPN’s two direct-to-consumer plans or certain Pay TV providers. Sign up or authenticate at stream.espn.com.
 
All games that are televised on an ESPN network or service are available on the ESPN App, either through ESPN DTC or authentication via Pay TV credentials.
 
CBS Sports’ broadcast coverage will be available to stream live on Paramount+, with additional coverage on CBS Sports’ digital platforms, including CBSSports.com and CBS Sports HQ.
 
Memphis represented the American in the NCAA Championship for a third time in four seasons, while UAB, Florida Atlantic, North Texas and Wichita State competed in the NIT, with North Texas advancing to the semifinals. Tulane competed in the inaugural College Basketball Crown.  
 
Tip times and TV designations will be announced at a later date.