The 2026 American Conference Football Championship will once again be televised on ABC, marking the twelfth consecutive year that the network has carried the league’s title game. The broadcast will close out ABC’s Championship Weekend and draw viewers who have come to expect the conference’s marquee matchup each December.
A Decade‑Plus Tradition on ABC
Scheduled for Saturday, December 5, at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, the game will be the culmination of a weekend that highlights the conference’s growing national relevance. Since 2015, ABC has held the exclusive rights to the championship, building a reliable slot that fans and advertisers alike anticipate.
Tulane entered the 2025 title game as the defending champion, finishing the season with an 11‑3 record and earning the No. 11 seed in the College Football Playoff. The Green Wave secured the crown with a 34‑21 victory over North Texas, underscoring the conference’s upward trajectory and the impact of its teams on the national stage.
The conference’s success extended beyond the championship game. Teams from the American Conference captured bowl victories over opponents from the Big 12, ACC, Conference USA and the Mountain West, and the league was one of only four to place three squads with eleven wins. Moreover, it remains the sole league to record non‑conference wins against the Big 12, Big 10, SEC and ACC.
Temple’s 2026 Kickoff
The 2026 season will open for Temple on Saturday, September 5, when the Owls travel to face the Rhode Island Rams at Lincoln Financial Field. The matchup marks the first game of the year for both programs and offers a early test of the conference’s depth as it looks to build on its recent bowl successes and non‑conference triumphs.
With ABC continuing its long‑standing broadcast partnership and the American Conference showcasing a blend of historic rivalries and emerging storylines, the upcoming schedule promises another year of compelling football that reaches fans across the United States and beyond.