The College Football Playoff size will double from 12 to 24 teams beginning with the 2027-28 season. This massive change comes after the CFP and ESPN reached an agreement to expand the bracket, according to Front Office Sports. The league did not release the full financial details, but an ESPN report cited by Front Office Sports says the two sides signed a five-year deal worth nearly $1.7 billion. This new money sits on top of the existing $7.8 billion media rights package that runs through 2032.
More games mean more chances for teams to make it to the big dance. The new field will include the champions from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC. It will also grab the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, or Sun Belt. The remaining 19 spots go to the best-ranked teams left over. This structure ensures that five automatic qualifiers and 19 at-large bids make up the full list. The goal is to give more student-athletes a shot at the national title.
The New Schedule and Seeding Rules
The bracket setup gives huge rewards to the top teams. First-round byes go to teams seeded one through eight, which will then host second-round games at their home campuses. Teams seeded nine through 16 will host the first round against the teams seeded 17 through 24. All first and second-round games will happen on a Thursday through Saturday schedule. The CFP has worked out a plan that keeps the tournament from running into February. The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place at the six major bowl games: Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose, and Sugar.
The first title game under this new 24-team format will be played in New Orleans on Monday, Jan. 24, 2028. This marks the second time the playoff has expanded since it started in 2014. The bracket was just four teams from 2014 through 2023 before it grew to 12 for the 2024 season. Now, the field doubles again. Pete Bevacqua, the athletic director for Notre Dame, along with the 10 FBS conferences, unanimously approved this expansion. The SEC and Big Ten held the final say because of a deal they signed in 2024.
Leadership wants to make sure the regular season still matters just as much as ever. FBS programs, student-athletes, and fan bases sought more Playoff and CFP National Championship chances, prompting the expansion, while new scheduling rules encourage compelling non-conference regular-season matchups. Despite the major expansion, the playoff will remain at 24 teams until the agreement ends in the 2031-32 season. ESPN will also have the power to sell rights for some games to other networks, just like it did with TNT Sports.
Why the Regular Season Still Counts
Some worried that adding so many teams would kill the excitement of late-season games. Greg Byrne, Alabama’s athletic director, stated to Front Office Sports earlier this fall that he expects the move to reach 24 teams. He added that ensuring the regular season retains its value requires great sensitivity. The CFP officials listened to these concerns. Their sentiment was considered and incorporated into this decision. But we decided to move forward with it, according to the statement released by the league.
The move to 24 teams is a huge shift for everyone involved. It changes how teams schedule their non-conference games and how fans plan their viewing parties. Rich Clark stated on Monday that the new format will be spectacular for fans, student-athletes, institutions, and all stakeholders. The first Saturday in December will now host the game instead of conference championships.
