College Football Playoff officially expanding to 24 teams in massive ESPN deal
The College Football Playoff (CFP) has finalized a landmark agreement with ESPN, doubling the playoff field from 12 to 24 teams starting in 2027. The five-year deal, valued at nearly $1.7 billion, marks a significant shift in college football’s postseason structure, eliminating Power 5 conference championship games to accommodate the expanded format.
The new format will feature 19 at-large bids, four Power 5 conference champions, and the top-ranked Group of 6 team, while Notre Dame will lose its guaranteed automatic bid if it doesn’t earn an at-large spot. The top eight teams will receive first-round byes, and the quarterfinals and semifinals will remain in the New Year’s Six bowls, with the national championship set for New Orleans on January 24, 2028.
The regular season will begin in ‘Week Zero’ and conclude on Thanksgiving weekend, with Selection Day moving to November 28, 2027. The Army-Navy game will also gain a standalone window on December 4, replacing the conference championship weekend.
