The 2026 NCAA softball tournament is set to begin on May 15, with 16 regional sites hosting action until May 17. Super regional play then commences on May 21, running through May 24. The Women's College World Series (WCWS) will take place from May 28 to June 4/5 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This year's championship bracket was revealed on May 10, and the action will culminate in the finals on June 3 and 4, with Texas and Texas Tech facing off in an all-Lone Star State showdown.
Texas, the defending champion, swept Tennessee to reach its third straight championship series, while Texas Tech also needed two wins, walking off Alabama in the opener and closing out the nightcap to advance. The WCWS results are as follows:
- May 28: Game 1 - No. 3 Texas Tech 8, No. 5 Mississippi State 0 (5 innings)
- May 28: Game 2 - No. 2 Tennessee 6, No. 1 Texas 3
- May 28: Game 3 - No. 1 Alabama 6, No. 2 UCLA 3
- May 28: Game 4 - No. 1 Nebraska 5, No. 2 Arkansas 3 (10 innings)
- May 29: Game 5 - No. 1 Texas 4, No. 5 Mississippi State 0
- May 29: Game 6 - No. 2 UCLA 11, No. 2 Arkansas 0 (5 innings)
- May 30: Game 7 - No. 2 Tennessee 2, No. 3 Texas Tech 1 (8 innings)
- May 30: Game 8 - No. 1 Alabama 5, No. 1 Nebraska 1
- May 31: Game 9 - No. 1 Texas 3, No. 1 Nebraska 1 (Elimination game)
- May 31: Game 10 - No. 3 Texas Tech 8, No. 2 UCLA 7 (Elimination game) (9 innings)
- June 1: Game 11 - No. 1 Texas 5, No. 2 Tennessee 2
- June 1: Game 12 - No. 1 Texas 4, No. 2 Tennessee 0
- June 1: Game 13 - No. 3 Texas Tech 5, No. 1 Alabama 4
- June 1: Game 14 - No. 3 Texas Tech 2, No. 1 Alabama 0
The tournament's regional sites include:
- Tuscaloosa Regional
- Baton Rouge Regional
- Tallahassee Regional
- Los Angeles Regional
- Fayetteville Regional
- Durham Regional
- Stillwater Regional
- Lincoln Regional
- Norman Regional
- Eugene Regional
- Lubbock Regional
- Gainesville Regional
- Knoxville Regional
- Athens Regional
- College Station Regional
- Austin Regional
The WCWS is a historic event, with Devon Park hosting the tournament every year since 1990, except for 1996 when it was held in Columbus, Georgia to preview the Atlanta Olympics. The stadium, once known as the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, is set to host the softball portion of the LA Olympics in 2028.
The NCAA DI softball selection process involves a 64-team field, with 31 conferences granted automatic qualification bids and 33 teams earning at-large bids. Teams must have an overall win-loss record of .500 or better against DI competition. The DI softball committee championship subcommittee evaluates teams based on their strength of schedule and other measures.
The 2025 national champions, Texas, defeated Texas Tech 10-4 in the final, securing their first championship in program history. UCLA holds the record for the most titles with 13, while Oklahoma boasts the longest championship streak with four consecutive titles from 2021 to 2024.
