A New Era for the Playoff
The 2026‑27 College Football Playoff will feature a record‑breaking 12‑team field, marking the first time the postseason has expanded beyond the traditional four‑team format.
Games in the opening round are slated for December 18 and 19, with each contest taking place on the campuses of the higher‑seeded teams, a shift designed to reward regular‑season performance and bring the excitement of campus atmospheres to the early stages.
Where the Games Will Be Played
Quarterfinal matchups will travel to four iconic bowl venues — the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena — on December 30 and January 1.
The semifinals are set for January 14 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, and January 15 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, bringing the spotlight to two of the nation’s most storied college‑football locations.
How to Watch the Action
Broadcast rights have been divided among ESPN, ABC, TNT, truTV and HBO Max, with each network handling a portion of the schedule and streaming options available through the ESPN app and HBO Max for fans who prefer digital platforms.
The national championship game will air exclusively on the combined ESPN‑ABC‑TNT‑truTV consortium, ensuring that viewers across multiple networks can tune in to the final showdown.