Overview
- The CFP Management Committee voted unanimously Monday to expand the field from 12 to 24 teams starting in the 2027 season, making the change official for next year.
- The expansion is tied to a reported five‑year, roughly $1.7 billion exclusive media deal with ESPN that is being used to fund the additional games and to offset lost conference‑championship broadcast revenue.
- The new bracket will include 23 games, with the top eight seeds receiving first‑round byes, first and second rounds hosted on campuses, one automatic berth for the highest‑ranked Group‑of‑Six team, four automatic Power‑Four berths, and 19 at‑large spots determined by the CFP selection committee.
- Conferences confirmed immediate operational shifts: the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC will end their championship games after 2026, the quarterfinals and semifinals will be at New Year’s Six sites, the first full playoff round will move to early December, and the 24‑team title game is scheduled for Jan. 24, 2028, in New Orleans.
- Stakeholders are split: supporters point to more access, campus economic boosts and new broadcast windows, while critics warn the regular season and rivalries will lose meaning, the bowl system faces major disruption, and selection incentives for scheduling remain unresolved.