College Football Playoff Expands to 24 Teams, Ending Conference Championship Era
ESPN added $1.7 billion to its contract to fund the growth, which begins with the 2027 season.
By Natalia Costa ·
The College Football Playoff will double its size to 24 teams starting next year, a move that eliminates the conference championship games that have defined the late season for three decades. College leaders confirmed the new format on Monday, signaling a major structural shift in how the sport operates and how it is monetized.
The expansion follows a period of rapid growth that began in 2014 with a four-team field. The playoff moved to 12 teams in 2024, and many observers believed that number would be the ceiling, a preference held by the Southeastern Conference. However, the Big Ten pushed for a larger field, leading to a compromise that required significant financial backing from the primary broadcaster.
ESPN agreed to rework its existing contract to accommodate the 11 new games. The network described the deal as a five-year agreement worth an additional $1.7 billion, layered on top of a $7.8 billion contract that runs through the 2031 season. While specific terms were not disclosed, the network reported it would not be liable for $140 million in extra payments due to the cancellation of the title games.
The new structure designates five automatic qualifiers: the champions of the four power conferences and the highest-ranked team from the Group of Six. A selection committee will choose the remaining 19 spots. Notre Dame will no longer receive a guaranteed berth if ranked in the top 12, a protection it holds in the final year of the current 12-team format. The top eight seeds will earn first-round byes, and the tournament will begin on the second weekend of December.
The schedule changes extend beyond the postseason. The regular season will now start the week before Labor Day and must include two off weeks. Power Four teams are required to play at least 10 qualifying regular-season games against conference opponents, other power teams, or Notre Dame. Group of Six teams must play 10 games against conference rivals and a mix of other non-power teams or independents.
The first championship game for the expanded field is scheduled for January 24, 2028, in New Orleans. The traditional Army-Navy game will move to the first weekend of December, a slot previously occupied by conference titles. Quarterfinal and semifinal rounds will remain in traditional bowl locations, while the first two rounds of games will be played on campus.
Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State and chair of the College Football Playoff board, stated that opening the doors to more programs and fan bases is beneficial for the sport. He said the group looks forward to seeing the expanded format in action next season.
The change alters the incentive structure for mid-tier programs. With more at-large bids available, teams that finish third or fourth in power conferences have new motivation to maintain high spending levels in the era of name, image, and likeness deals. This dynamic supports the decision by power conferences to expand their regular-season schedules and demand more non-conference games, which helps boost strength-of-schedule metrics evaluated by the selection committee.
Critics argue that giving more power to a selection committee that struggled with the 12-team format poses a risk. The committee’s controversial exclusions of Florida State in 2023 and Notre Dame last season, along with confusing rankings released earlier this season, fuel skepticism about handling a larger field. Others worry that the expansion dilutes the importance of the regular season, replacing marquee conference matchups with lower-stakes games between middle-of-the-pack teams.
