College Football Playoff To Expand to 24 Teams Beginning in 2027 Season

The College Football Playoff (CFP) has announced plans to expand the number of teams in the tournament to 24 starting with the 2027 season. ESPN and the CFP have reached an agreement on a five-year, nearly $1.7 billion deal to support this expansion, ensuring ESPN remains as the broadcast partner for the increased format. This move adds significant media rights value to the existing $7.8 billion media rights package for the 12-team format, which runs until 2032.

The decision to expand to 24 teams will eliminate the Power 4 conference championship games after this season and will shift the Army-Navy game to the second Saturday in December, replacing the previous position as a conference championship. The expansion has been a long-standing goal for college sports administrators, aiming to create a more lucrative and competitive field.

While the vote for expansion involved all 10 FBS conferences, the SEC and Big Ten ultimately held the final decision. The CFP and ESPN engaged in negotiations lasting over 30 days, concluding with plans for a 24-team playoff format.

A proposed 24-team playoff format was shared among Big Ten members in February, with the top eight teams receiving automatic byes. The tournament would see first and second-round games on college campuses, quarterfinals on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day at bowl sites, semifinals the following week, and the national championship at a neutral site in mid-January.

The ACC and Big 12 have also expressed support for the 24-team playoff. However, the SEC, led by commissioner Greg Sankey, was concerned about the expanded field's impact on the regular season and the financial value of conference championship games. Despite these concerns, the CFP now officially considers expansion to 24 teams for the 2027 season, with a deadline of Dec.

1 to finalize the decision. If an agreement isn't reached, the 12-team format will continue through the 2026 season.