College Football Playoff To Expand To 12 Teams In 2026

The College Football Playoff Board of Managers, a group of FBS university presidents, has voted to expand the CFP from four to 12 teams.

The expansion is set for 2026, after ESPN’s current contract for the CFP expires.

• The new format will be made up of the six highest-ranked conference champions and six at-large selections after a vote from the board.
• The four highest-ranked champions will be granted a first-round bye.

The four-team model was the precedent for ESPN’s exclusive CFP contract, which reportedly pays out an average of $470 million a year.

ESPN is definitely interested in renewing CFP rights, a source previously told Front Office Sports. Previous discussions of adding expansion to the existing contract in 2024 would have created an extra windfall of $450 million, per SI.

The news also comes amid whispers that a Power 5 or FBS football breakaway from the NCAA might be more probable than ever.

Playoff Process

The next step will be for commissioners to figure out the granular details — a process that will likely begin during their next meeting, which is reportedly next week.

Conference realignment created bad blood between the commissioners, but ultimately the presidents appear to have found common ground.