IRVING, Texas – The College Football Playoff (CFP) Management Committee today, November 9, unanimously approved Playoff expansion to 24 teams, beginning with the 2027-28 college football season.
The CFP also announced that it has reached a new media rights agreement with ESPN. This agreement makes ESPN the exclusive, worldwide rightsholder to the expanded 24-team Playoff, beginning with the 2027-28 season. The exclusive home of the CFP since its inception in 2015, ESPN (subject to the sublicensing rights noted below) will present all 23 games of the new format. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The agreement also includes continued exclusive rights to all ancillary programming connected to the Playoff, such as the CFP Selection Show, weekly CFP Top 25 Rankings shows and more.
A 24-team CFP Format Fact Sheet can be found at the end of this release. Among the highlights:
The 24-team CFP field will be comprised of the four conference champions from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC (as determined by their respective conferences), the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, OR Sun Belt; and the 19 highest-ranked remaining teams in the final CFP Selection Committee ranking.
The CFP Management Committee has adopted scheduling standards that will enhance the regular season by encouraging scheduling of additional compelling non-conference, regular season matchups. These standards are outlined in the Fact Sheet section below.
16 of the 23 Playoff games will be played on campus (up from four), building on the success of the on-campus games from the current 12-team format.
No CFP games will be scheduled in conflict with the historic Army – Navy game.
CFP Quarterfinals and CFP Semifinals will continue to be played at the six CFP bowl partner locations (Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose, Sugar)
24-TEAM CFP FORMAT FACT SHEET
THE FIELD
The 24-team CFP field will be comprised of:
4: the conference champions from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC (as determined by their respective conferences);
1: the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, OR Sun Belt; and; 19: the 19 highest-ranked remaining teams in the CFP Selection Committee’s final ranking
SCHEDULING STANDARDS
As part of expanding to 24 teams, the CFP Management Committee has adopted the following scheduling standards that will incentivize institutions to schedule additional compelling non-conference, regular season matchups:
Autonomy 4 Conference (A4) Scheduling Standards
Each A4 institution will be expected to play at least 10 qualifying regular season games consisting of the following:
Conference games
Non-conference games versus A4 conference opponents and Notre Dame
Group of 6 Conference (G6) Scheduling Standards
Each G6 institution will be expected to play at least 10 qualifying regular season games consisting of the following:
Conference games
Non-conference games against a G6 or A4 opponent, Notre Dame or Independent institutions other than Notre Dame
The CFP Selection Committee will not give any weight to a win over more than one (1) FCS opponent per season.
Please note the CFP Management Committee may grant a waiver from these requirements in extraordinary circumstances.
MORE PLAYOFF GAMES ON CAMPUS
Building on the success of the on-campus games introduced in the 12-team format, both the CFP First and Second rounds of the expanded Playoff will be played on the campus of the higher seed. A total of 16 Playoff games will now be played on campus, bringing Playoff football to more students and local fans while providing a positive impact for campus communities. The previous 12-team format featured four games on campus.
ARMY – NAVY
No CFP games will be scheduled in conflict with the historic Army – Navy game.
The Army – Navy game is a national treasure that showcases our future leaders. The Management Committee has worked closely with American Conference Commissioner, Tim Pernetti on behalf of both academies and CBS Sports to provide a solution that preserves the tradition’s protected window from Playoff games while providing Army and Navy an opportunity to compete for a national championship. The CFP is proud of this collaborative effort to protect what makes college football special.
HEISMAN
In collaboration with the CFP, Heisman will move Heisman Trophy Weekend one week earlier preserving one of college football’s most cherished traditions while adapting to the sport’s evolving postseason calendar. In 2027, Heisman Weekend will be held December 3-5.
SEASON SCHEDULE NOTES
Beginning in 2027-28, there will always be two open weeks in the regular season
The final regular season games during the 2027-28 season will take place on Saturday, November 27, 2027
The 2027-28 Playoff will begin the first full week of December, providing each qualifying team an open week before the CFP First Round starts
The top eight seeds will have two open weeks before playing their first game
Additional key dates, including Selection Day, will be announced at a later time
SEEDING AND FIRST/SECOND ROUND SCHEDULING
Seeds 1-8 will each earn a first-round bye and will each host a CFP Second Round game on their respective campuses
Seeds 9-16 will each host a CFP First Round game on their respective campuses against seeds 17-24
First and Second Round games will be played on the Thursday-Saturday of their respective weekend
CFP QUARTERFINALS AND CFP SEMIFINALS
CFP Quarterfinals and CFP Semifinals will continue to be played at the six CFP bowl partner locations as with the 12-team format
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
Capital One Orange Bowl
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential
Allstate Sugar Bowl
CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HOST CITIES AND DATES
Las Vegas, Monday, January 25, 2027 (12-team Playoff)
New Orleans, Monday, January 24, 2028 (first edition of the 24-team Playoff)
Tampa Bay, Monday, January 22, 2029 (24-team Playoff)
ADDITIONAL MEDIA RIGHTS AND BROADCAST DETAILS WITH ESPN
Agreement brings every game of the 23-game Playoff to ESPN and/or ABC, with ESPN retaining the right to sublicense select games. This new sublicensing right is in addition to its existing sublicense with TNT Sports, which was announced in May 2024. Additional details regarding programming plans and distribution of the expanded Playoff will be announced at a later date.
Beginning with the 2027-28 season, ESPN will broadcast at least three games from each of the new CFP First Round and CFP Second Round on ABC, building on the added exposure offered this year via ABC and ESPN simulcasting the CFP National Championship (in addition to its signature MegaCast presentation across ESPN networks), as well as one CFP Semifinal, one CFP Quarterfinal and one CFP First Round game. The agreement also continues ESPN’s expansive rights to simulcast or MegaCast CFP games across all Walt Disney Company networks.
Broad distribution rights across The Walt Disney Company platforms continue; Disney Advertising remain exclusive seller of the CFP Official Sponsor Program
12 TEAMS FOR THE CURRENT 2026-27 CFP, 24 TEAMS FROM 2027-28 THROUGH 2031-32
Reminder that this year’s 2026-27 CFP will be played under the current 12-team Playoff format.
The Playoff will remain at 24 teams for the duration of this agreement (through the 2031-32 season).
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
Decisions on the future of conference championship games rest with each conference.
– Press release