CFP, ESPN Agree to 24-Team Playoff Expansion

The College Football Playoff will expand from 12 to 24 teams beginning in 2027 under a five-year agreement with ESPN worth about $1.7 billion; ESPN will retain exclusive media rights and is expected to pay about $345 million more annually. The field will include 19 at-large teams, the four Power Four champions and the highest-ranked Group of Six champion, with the top eight seeds receiving first-round byes. The first two rounds will be played on campus, major bowls will host the quarterfinals and semifinals, and the expansion will add 11 games. The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC have confirmed that their 2026 conference championship games will be their last; the Mountain West has not decided whether to continue its game. Power Four teams are expected to play nine-game conference schedules and must schedule 10 opponents from those conferences or Notre Dame to be considered for the playoff. The changes have prompted debate over the loss of conference title games and the effects of a larger playoff on rivalries, bowl season and the importance of regular-season games.