College Football Playoff Agrees To 24 Team Expansion Model Starting In 2027

Big Changes Coming to Postseason Football

The College Football Playoff has reached a handshake agreement to expand its postseason format to 24 teams beginning in the 2027 season. While paperwork remains to be finished and board approvals are still required, the plan marks a massive shift for college sports.

This change would double the size of the postseason field just two years after it expanded from four to 12 teams. To make room for the extra games, the new format is expected to remove Power 4 conference championship games. The regular season would also start one week earlier than it currently does.

How the 24 Team Field Will Work

The proposed 24 team postseason includes 19 at-large spots. The remaining five spots will go to the Power 4 conference champions and the highest ranked team from the Group of 6.

Under this plan, the top eight seeds receive a first round bye and a second round home game. For example, the top seed will play the winner of the match between the No. 16 and No. 17 seeds. Seeds 9 through 16 will host first round playoff games. Teams seeded 17 and 18 will fight to move into those hosting positions.

The New Year's Six bowl games will continue to play a major role. The Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange, and Cotton bowls are expected to host the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. The national championship game will stay in January.

Incentive Structure and Future Timeline

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti defended the proposal against critics who argue that adding more teams diminishes the regular season. He pointed to tiered incentives that give teams motivation to keep winning down the stretch.

The current framework for this amended media deal runs through the 2031 season. This matches the timeline of the existing six year contract worth $7.8 billion that was signed in March 2024. A formal 30 day negotiation window opened on Sept. 9 and closed on Oct. 9, with discussions continuing until an agreement was struck.