The change starts next season
The College Football Playoff announced unanimous approval on November 9 for a 24-team field beginning with the 2027-28 season. This season’s 2026-27 playoff remains a 12-team competition.
How places and home games work
The new field includes the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC champions; the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 or Sun Belt; and the 19 highest-ranked remaining teams.
Seeds 1 to 8 receive first-round byes and host second-round games. Seeds 9 to 16 host seeds 17 to 24 in the first round. Both opening rounds take place on the higher seed’s campus, producing 16 campus games across the 23-game playoff, compared with four campus games now.
ESPN rights do not settle every viewing detail
ESPN confirms rights to the expanded playoff through 2031-32, while retaining sublicensing options. It plans at least three games from each of the first two rounds on ABC. Further programming and distribution details will follow; the announcement does not establish a single package or free access for every game.
CFP says financial terms were not disclosed. Reported deal valuations should not be treated as an official price from this announcement.
Keep the championship dates separate
The first 24-team championship is scheduled for New Orleans on January 24, 2028. The current season still ends in Las Vegas on January 25, 2027. Fans planning trips should check the eventual qualified teams, venue arrangements and detailed game schedules before booking.
