What to Know About the 12-Team College Football Playoff: Format, Matchups & Dates

For the 2026–2027 season, the College Football Playoff will have a 12-team playoff bracket, which will be the third year of that size following its expansion from a four-team format. What you should know about the change is as follows:

How the new format selects CFP teams

Regardless of their ultimate ranking, the conference champions from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC (collectively referred to as the Power 4) will all automatically get bids for the 12-team College Football Playoff field.

Regardless of whether they are conference champions or not, the top-ranked club from one of the Group of 6 leagues (American, CUSA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, OR Sun Belt) will also receive an automatic bid.

In the first two years of the 12-team system (2024–2025), bids were automatically awarded to the top five conference champions, regardless of conference.

If Notre Dame is ranked in the top 12 teams in 2026, it will also automatically be considered for a bid.

The 12-team format will be completed by the remaining top-ranked teams.

Where will CFP games be played?

The teams placed 1-4 in 2025 will likewise be seeded 1-4 and given a first-round bye. Previously, the four highest-ranked conference champions, regardless of ranking, were given a first-round bye in the inaugural 12-team CFP in the 2024 season.

In the first round, seeds 5 through 12 will face off. In their opening round matches, the higher-seeded teams will host. Below is a summary of the first round matchups:

• No. 5 vs. No. 12
• No. 6 vs. No. 11
• No. 7 vs. No. 10
• No. 8 vs. No. 9

The quarterfinal round will see the introduction of New Year’s Six bowl games. While the host venue for the national championship is chosen by bids from potential host sites, the semifinals will be played in bowls on a rotating basis.

The CFP for the 2026 season: