College Football Playoff 24 Teams: 2027 Expansion Deal Near

The college football playoff 24 teams expansion moved closer to reality Thursday, as ESPN reported that the playoff field will double from 12 to 24 teams beginning with the 2027 season, pending final approvals.

The news came from ESPN, the playoff’s rights holder. The College Football Playoff said in a statement late Thursday that constructive discussions with ESPN had continued through the week, and that it would share updates on the future format and media rights when appropriate.

How the 24-Team Format Would Work

Under the proposed plan, the top eight seeds would receive first-round byes, while seeds 9 through 16 would host seeds 17 through 24 in the opening round. The top eight seeds would then host the winners of those first-round games.

The quarterfinals and semifinals are expected to remain with the New Year’s Six bowl games — the Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange and Cotton bowls — while the national championship game would likely stay in January.

From Four Teams to 24

The playoff has used a 12-team format since 2024, after running with just four teams from 2014 through 2023. The playoff’s management committee began formally discussing expansion in September, after months of studying the advantages and drawbacks of a bigger field.

The expansion talks come under the terms of the existing media arrangement: in March 2024, the CFP and ESPN agreed to a six-year, $7.8 billion contract that gives the network sole media rights through the 2031 season.

The report, circulated Thursday by ESPN and carried by Field Level Media, marks the biggest structural change to the playoff since it grew from four teams to twelve just two seasons ago.

Source: Yahoo Sports