The College Football Playoff will expand to a 12-team format in time for the 2026 season, according to an announcement made by the Board of Managers, a group of university presidents and chancellors that oversee the College Football Playoff. A Friday afternoon vote was unanimous in the expansion to 12 teams.
While the format is planned for a 2026 implementation, the board has tasked a similar governing body with assessing the possibility of beginning the expanded playoff in either the 2024 or 2025 regular season. The 12 teams will include the six conference champions ranked by the selection committee plus the six highest-ranked teams not included among the six highest-ranked conference champions.
The four highest ranked teams will receive a first-round bye while the other eight teams will play in the first round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.)
“This is an historic and exciting day for college football,” said Mark Keenum, the president of Mississippi State and the chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “More teams, more participation and more excitement are good for our fans, alumni, and student-athletes. I’m grateful to my colleagues on the board for their thoughtful approach to this issue and for their resolve to get expansion across the goal line and for the extensive work of the Management Committee that made this decision possible.”
The Management Committee will implement the board’s decision, including determining such matters as the dates for games, broadcast entities, revenue allocations, sites of the 11 games, and the term of the agreement.
In addition to details mentioned above, the board approved the following:
- The ranking of the teams will continue to be done by a selection committee whose size, composition, and method of selection will remain substantially unchanged. The Management Committee will modify the selection protocol as required by the change to the playoff structure.
- The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and each will receive a first-round bye.
- The model allows for first-round games to be played on either the second or third weekend in December in a way that best accommodates the format and the participating teams, with at least 12 days between the conference championship games and the first-round games. The Management Committee would make the final determination of the calendar.
- Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four quarterfinal games and two Playoff Semifinal games would be played in bowls on a rotating basis.
- The national championship game will continue to be played at a neutral site.
- Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four highest-ranked conference champions will be assigned to quarterfinals bowls on selection day in ranking order, and in consideration of current contract bowl relationships if those bowls are selected for the rotation. For example, if the Pac-12 champion were ranked #1, the Big Ten champion were ranked #3, and the Rose Bowl were a quarterfinal site, the Pac-12 champion would be assigned to the Rose Bowl and the Big Ten champion would be assigned elsewhere.
- With the four highest-ranked champions assigned to quarterfinal games in bowls, the opponent from first-round game winners will be assigned by the selection committee based on the bracket.
- The higher seeds would receive preferential placement in the Playoff Semifinal games.
- First-round games will not have title or presenting sponsors and existing venue signage will remain in place. The CFP will control the video boards.
