For decades, March Madness has been college basketball's crown jewel—a 68-team spectacle that captivates the nation every spring. But get ready to clear a few more spots on your bracket. In a move that's been rumored for years but only just became official, the men's and women's NCAA Tournament is set to expand to 76 teams starting next season.

On Thursday, the Division I men's and women's basketball committees cast a unanimous vote in favor of the expansion, sources confirmed to CBS Sports. While the decision still needs a few more stamps of approval—from the oversight committees, the Division I cabinet (meeting May 22), and ultimately the NCAA's Board of Governors—the writing has been on the wall for weeks. An emergency joint meeting of the men's and women's oversight committees was also called for Thursday afternoon to keep the ball rolling.

This isn't the first time the tournament has grown. In 2001, the field jumped from a pristine 64 teams to 65 after the Mountain West Conference was formed, creating a single play-in game in Dayton, Ohio. Then, in 2011, the "First Four" was born when the tournament expanded to 68 teams—a compromise after a proposed 96-team bracket was scrapped at the last minute due to public outcry. This time around, those concerns were largely ignored, paving the way for what will now be an awkwardly shaped 76-team bracket in 2027.

The expansion applies to both the men's and women's tournaments, even though NCAA sources have long maintained there's no competitive or financial justification for growing the women's field. The move comes with significant added costs for the NCAA, which already loses millions annually on the women's tournament. And despite the committees' enthusiasm, the decision remains widely unpopular among fans and media alike.

So, what does this mean for your bracket? More teams, more games, and—if history is any guide—more chaos. Whether you love it or hate it, March Madness is about to get a little more maddening. Stay tuned for the final approvals, and in the meantime, maybe start planning your wardrobe for those extra rounds of basketball. We've got the gear to keep you courtside in style.