College Football Playoff nears agreement on 24-team expansion that could end title games

The College Football Playoff field will get far more crowded as the conferences near an offer to double the size of the field to 24 groups beginning next year

Oct 15, 2026

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The College Football Playoff is nearing an offer to broaden to 24 groups, CBS Sports’Matt Zenitz verifies. The brand-new format is slated to debut in 2027, however last approvals are still needed.

The brand-new format is anticipated to include a “19+4+1” design with 19 at-large quotes, 4 booked for Power Four champs and one for the highest-rated Group of Six champ.

The 30-day negotiating window in between the CFP and ESPN was set to close at the end of recently, however was extended when playoff authorities triggered a stipulation that provided the network 5 more service days to evaluate the numbers.

Playoff growth has actually felt inescapable for a long time now. The only concern was the number of groups would be consisted of. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey openly supported a 16-team playoffhowever the CFP is working out beyond that to double the field next year.

The CFP debuted in a four-team format at the end of the 2014 season with Ohio State winning the championship game. A years later on, in 2024, the playoff was broadened to 12 groups, and Ohio State was when again the first string to make it through the bigger bracket.

Growth to 24 groups brings a lot more concerns about a range of subjects, consisting of whether it signifies completion of championship game video games.

“They’re gonna be gone,” stated CBS Sports’ John Talty on Thursday’s College Football Insiders following the growth news “That’s the reality of the situation.”

CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello reports that a person sticking point from conference commissioners was balancing out the monetary losses that would include removing national championship.

Marcello approximates that the CFP might use an extra $320 million on top of the existing agreement, which averages $1.2 billion annually. Here are additional takeaways from Marcello’s previous reporting on CFP’s march towards growth.

How the Big Ten and SEC got to 24 groups

The approach a 24-team College Football Playoff followed a year of argument and settlement, with the sport’s 2 most effective conferences at first promoting for various methods.

The Big Ten promoted a 24-team field, while SEC commissioner Greg Sankey preferred a 12- or 16-team structure that would maintain his conference’s national championship.

The advancement can be found in September, when both leagues accepted examine the bigger bracket. Sankey had actually detailed essential requirements in a memo: balancing out lost SEC national championship income and needing a minimum of 10 regular-season video games versus power-conference challengers.

The Big Ten and SEC hold supreme authority over the playoff format. Their due date to settle a choice was Dec. 1.

Why changing championship game earnings was main

Broadening to 24 groups needed making space on the calendar, putting championship game video games– and the profits they produce– at the center of settlements.

CFP executives anticipated to look for approximately $70 million to $80 million above the almost $250 million integrated worth of those national championship, sources acquainted with the procedure informed CBS Sports. That put the prospective extra yearly rights charge at more than $320 million, on top of ESPN’s existing arrangement, which averages $1.3 billion every year.

ESPN’s position made the settlements especially substantial. The network currently holds the rights to the ACC, Big 12 and SEC national championship. Market sources stated ESPN might reroute those rights costs towards a broadened playoff contract. Disney Advertising likewise handles main business sponsorship plans for the ACC and SEC.

The CFP’s special 30-day negotiating window with ESPN ended Oct. 9 without an arrangement, sources informed CBS Sports. The sides had actually exchanged propositions however stayed far apart on the numbers previously that week.

In spite of the expiration, the CFP stated in an Oct. 10 declaration that conversations with ESPN were continuing.

How a 24-team playoff would alter December

The design under conversation consisted of 23 at-large groups and one ensured area for the Group of Six, without any automated quotes for conference champs.

CFP executive director Rich Clark informed CBS Sports that the broadened preliminary and a brand-new 2nd round would be used school. New Year’s Six bowls would host the quarterfinals and semifinals.

That structure would improve the December calendar. With the playoff start throughout the 2nd week of the month, conversations consisted of moving Army-Navy from the 2nd Saturday in December to the very first– the date generally booked for championship game video games.

The outcome would be 2 rounds of school championship game before the bracket moves to bowl websites.

What follows for tv rights and earnings

The settlements leading up to growth included more than the size of the bracket. They likewise raised concerns about who would relay the extra video games and how the resulting profits would be dispersed.

ESPN’s existing six-year, $7.8 billion arrangement goes through the 2031-32 season and covers a field of approximately 14 groups at no extra expense.

Throughout settlements, some included stayed positive ESPN would keep the whole playoff, sources informed CBS Sports. An option under factor to consider was splitting the rights amongst several networks to satisfy the CFP’s monetary objectives. ESPN keeps particular matching rights if the plan reaches the free market.

Dividing the extra cash might likewise end up being a point of contention. Under the existing plan, the Big Ten and SEC each get about 29% of CFP income, compared to around 17% for the ACC and 15% for the Big 12. The Group of Six and Notre Dame divide the rest.