COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF ANNOUNCES 12-TEAM PLAYOFF TO BEGIN IN 2024
MIAMI LAKES, Fla. (orangebowl.org) - Earlier today, the College Football Playoff (CFP) announced that the 10 FBS Commissioners and the Director of Athletics at the University of Notre Dame approved an earlier start to the previously announced 12-team playoff now beginning in the 2024 college football season. Additional details can be found in the official release from the CFP linked here. Exact dates and framework for the final two years of the current agreement (2024-25 and 2025-26) have not yet been finalized.
“This is an exciting day for South Florida and our historic position in post-season college football,” said Orange Bowl Committee President & Chair Frank Gonzalez. “The Orange Bowl Committee looks forward to working closely with the CFP, conference partners, key stakeholders and industry executives to comfortably transition into the new format.”
This announcement comes three months after the 11 university presidents and chancellors who comprise the CFP Board of Managers voted unanimously to expand the current four-team playoff to 12 teams beginning in 2026. The Management Committee was subsequently tasked to assess the viability of beginning the expanded playoff in either the 2024 or 2025 regular season.
The CFP Management Committee will begin discussions in the near future on the framework for the new playoff model beyond the 2025 regular season.
"Today marks the beginning of another important chapter in the 89-year bond between college football's ever-evolving post-season and the Capital One Orange Bowl,” said Orange Bowl Committee Chief Executive Officer Eric Poms. “Our proud history includes hosting 21 National Championship games, as well as serving as an anchor host in the Bowl Championship Series (1998-2013) and original College Football Playoff (2014-present) formats. As this new framework takes shape for 2025 and beyond, we will continue to provide our unwavering support to the great sport of college football and its enthusiastic fanbase, and in the process sustain and grow Orange Bowl’s year-round commitment to the South Florida community. We look forward to discussions with CFP leadership on our continued position to host quarterfinal and semifinal games within the exciting new Playoff format.”
The previously announced 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship to be hosted at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla will now be held on January 19, 2026. The 2026 Miami Host Committee, chaired by Jack Seiler, will remain in close contact with the CFP, local partners and key stakeholders as details are finalized.
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