The 24-team College Football Playoff will debut during the 2027-28 season, doubling the size of the current postseason field. The expanded format will feature 23 games, including 16 contests played on college campuses.
The CFP Management Committee unanimously approved the expansion on Monday, Nov. 9. The organization also announced a new media rights agreement with ESPN covering the expanded playoff through the 2031-32 season.
How the 24-Team College Football Playoff Will Work
The playoff field will include automatic access for five conference representatives. The champions of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC will each receive a place in the bracket.
The highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-12 or Sun Belt will also qualify. The CFP Selection Committee will fill the remaining 19 positions with its highest-ranked available teams.
Seeds No. 1 through No. 8 will receive first-round byes. Each will then host a second-round game on its campus.
Seeds No. 9 through No. 16 will host first-round games against seeds No. 17 through No. 24. First- and second-round contests will take place between Thursday and Saturday on their respective weekends.
The current 12-team format will remain in place for the 2026-27 playoff. That season will conclude with the national championship game on Jan. 25, 2027, in Las Vegas.
More Playoff Games Coming to Campuses
The new format will increase the number of campus playoff games from four to 16. CFP leaders said the change will bring postseason football to more students, fans and local communities.
The quarterfinals and semifinals will continue rotating among six bowl partners. Those games will be held at the Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls.
The Cotton Bowl’s continued role keeps North Texas connected to the later rounds of the national championship race. The first 24-team playoff will conclude Jan. 24, 2028, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, according to the CFP’s future schedule.
The CFP also pledged to protect the traditional Army-Navy game. No playoff contest will be scheduled against the rivalry’s established broadcast window.
Additionally, Heisman Trophy Weekend will move one week earlier. The 2027 events are scheduled for Dec. 3-5.
New Scheduling Standards for Contenders
The CFP adopted regular-season scheduling standards alongside the expansion. Programs from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC will be expected to play at least 10 qualifying games.
Those games may include conference contests and nonconference matchups against teams from those four leagues or Notre Dame.
Programs in the other six conferences will also be expected to play 10 qualifying games. Their schedules may include conference opponents, other Football Bowl Subdivision teams, Notre Dame and additional independent programs.
The selection committee will give credit for no more than one victory over a Football Championship Subdivision opponent each season. Waivers may be available under extraordinary circumstances.
The standards are designed to encourage stronger nonconference matchups. CFP officials had confirmed in October that they were discussing a possible 24-team playoff and related media rights.
ESPN Secures Expanded CFP Rights
ESPN will remain the exclusive worldwide rights holder for the playoff. The network has carried the event since the CFP began in 2015.
Under the new agreement, ESPN and ABC will present all 23 games. ESPN may sublicense selected contests, including through its existing arrangement with TNT Sports.
ABC will broadcast at least three games from both the first and second rounds beginning in 2027-28. ESPN will also retain rights to the selection show, weekly rankings programs and other playoff coverage.
Financial terms were not disclosed. The 24-team format will remain in effect through the end of the agreement in 2031-32.
For college football fans across Texas, the expansion means more teams, more campus games and a longer path to the national championship. Additional dates and broadcast schedules will be announced as the inaugural 24-team playoff approaches.