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The 24 team College Football Playoff is expected to arrive in 2027

The College Football Playoff is set to undergo a major expansion, with plans to introduce a 24-team format beginning in the 2027 season. According to reports, the new structure will include 19 at-large bids, the four Power 4 conference champions, and the highest-ranked Group of 5 team, reshaping the postseason landscape.

The traditional New Year’s Six bowls—Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange, and Cotton—will continue hosting the quarterfinals and semifinals, while the national championship game remains scheduled for January. Teams ranked 1 through 8 will receive a first-round bye and host their home games, while seeds 9 through 24 will compete in the opening round on the higher-seeded team’s campus.

The expansion follows a push by Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and comes just two years after the playoff doubled in size from four to 12 teams, though it raises questions about the regular season’s significance as losses become less consequential under the new model. The move is driven largely by financial incentives, including the rising costs of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, which justify keeping more teams in contention for a playoff spot.

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