NCAA Committee Approves College Football Transfer Portal Moves to Single Winter Window

The idea of a single transfer portal window for college football is getting closer.

On Thursday, September 4, the NCAA announced that the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee has suggested moving to a single 10-day transfer portal window. To become official, the proposal needs to be approved by the NCAA’s Division I Administrative Committee. Before October 1st, a vote is anticipated. If authorized, the transfer gateway would open in 2026 and run from January 2 to January 11.

Since more athletes have chosen to switch schools in recent years, the transfer portal has been shortened. The NCAA reduced the transfer portal window in 2024 from 45 days to just 30 days over two distinct time periods. It began operations on Monday, December 9—the day following the announcement of the College Football Playoff bowl and bracket games—and ended on December 28. Then, from April 16 to 25, the doorway was open in the spring.

Most teams will have finished their postseasons by the time the transfer portal window opens because it is a single window and the dates fall later in the football calendar. Players leaving teams before their bowl game has become prevalent in recent years; other College Football Playoff teams have also done so.

Last season, Marshall had to withdraw from the Independence Bowl match versus Army because of “player unavailability due to activity in the transfer portal.” Thus, it was an issue. When coach Charles Huff departed for the same role at Southern Mississippi, 29 scholarship players from the Thundering Herd left the program.

The four non-playoff bowl games—Duke’s Mayo, Liberty, Armed Forces, and Holiday—would have all taken place on January 2 in the absence of the new transfer portal window. Also up for play would be the national championship game and the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs.

After spring practice ends, players are likely to have to continue with their programs as the spring window has been eliminated. After a rumored NIL dispute, quarterback Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee for UCLA during the spring window of 2025, making it a notable move.