NCAA Soccer Tournament 2025: Bracket, Schedule & Must-Watch Matchups Revealed

College soccer’s biggest month has arrived, and both the men’s and women’s NCAA soccer tournaments are already delivering drama, story-book matchups and bracket-busting upsets. From first-round thrillers to No. 1 seeds aiming for College Cup glory, here’s a one-stop guide to everything fans need to know—and everything searchers are looking for—about the 2025 NCAA soccer tournament. How to follow the action • Men’s selection show: replay on NCAA.com; first-round matches kick off Thursday, Nov. 20, streaming on school platforms and ESPN+. • Women’s tournament: second-round fixtures begin Thursday, Nov. 20, with live stats and streams linked through the interactive bracket on NCAA.com. • College Cups: Women’s semifinals and final run Dec. 5-8; the men crown their champion Dec. 12-15. Men’s bracket at a glance The 48-team men’s field is headlined by top overall seed Vermont, fresh off its first national title last year. The Catamounts await a second-round opponent alongside other national seeds Virginia (2), Princeton (3) and Maryland (4). Indiana grabbed the No. 6 seed—its 37th straight appearance—while Georgetown (7) and West Coast power Portland (8) round out the top eight. Automatic-qualifier surprises include Furman, High Point and Bryant, each rewarded with a coveted top-16 seed. First-round intrigue centers on Syracuse–Hofstra and UCLA–Grand Canyon, two matchups featuring explosive offenses that could threaten higher seeds down the line. Women’s tournament heats up Sixty-four contenders tipped off Nov. 15, and opening-day fireworks quickly reshaped the bracket. Unseeded North Carolina upset No. 3 Tennessee, while Ohio State knocked out No. 8 seed Georgia. Top seeds Notre Dame, Stanford, Vanderbilt and Virginia all advanced comfortably, but looming second-round tests include Stanford-Alabama and Colorado-Xavier. BYU survived 11 rounds of penalty kicks against Utah State, underscoring how thin the margins already are. With nine ACC sides into the round of 32 and the SEC still boasting five survivors, conference bragging rights remain very much in play. Key players to watch • Leo Alves, Vermont – The sophomore striker’s 14 goals lead all seeded teams. • Isaiah Reid, Clemson – Two College Cup rings already; Reid’s postseason pedigree makes the Tigers a dangerous floater. • Mia Minestrella, Duke – Hat-trick heroine in the first round, her pace will test UCF next. • Amirah Ali, Stanford – The senior U-20 international dictates tempo and has five career NCAA tournament goals. • Owen Finberg, Princeton – Ivy League Player of the Year powers a Tigers side seeking its first semifinal since 1993. Tournament timeline • Nov 29-30: Men’s Sweet 16 / Women’s Sweet 16 & Elite 8 • Dec 5-6: Men’s quarterfinals • Dec 5: Women’s College Cup semifinals (Cary, N.C.) • Dec 8: Women’s national championship (Cary, N.C.) • Dec 12: Men’s College Cup semifinals (Louisville, Ky.) • Dec 15: Men’s national championship (Louisville, Ky.) Why this year feels wide open Between Vermont attempting the first men’s repeat since Stanford’s three-peat ended in 2017 and Notre Dame trying to become the eighth women’s program with multiple titles, pedigree mixes with parity. Upset-minded programs—think Lipscomb on the women’s side or Western Michigan on the men’s—have already shown that mid-majors can punch above their weight. Factor in neutral-site finals and winter-weather variables, and no seed line looks safe. Bottom line Whether you’re filling out a printable bracket, scouting future MLS and NWSL stars or searching for streaming links, the 2025 NCAA soccer tournament offers wall-to-wall excitement. Bookmark the interactive brackets, clear your Thanksgiving weekend schedule, and get ready for a month that routinely produces golden-goal classics and trophy-lifting memories.