CFP 2026 Format Adjustments: Expansion Prospects Still Open

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza lifts the trophy following the College Football Playoff national championship victory over Miami on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

On Monday, the College Football Playoff Management Committee convened and briefly examined the prospect of expanding the playoff field, per multiple reports. While no immediate changes are planned, the existing 12‑team structure could be altered as early as next year, as conference commissioners and media executives explore greater team access and additional revenue opportunities.

For the 2026 season, the playoff field stays at 12 teams for the third straight year, though the CFP has implemented minor adjustments. Automatic bids now go to the champions of the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12, and Southeastern Conferences, plus the highest‑ranked team from the American, Conference USA, Mid‑American, Mountain West, Pac‑12, and Sun Belt conferences. This differs from last year, when the five highest‑ranked conference champions received automatic entries.

Duke captured the ACC title last season, yet it did not rank among the top five conference champions, leaving the Blue Devils excluded from the playoff. Under the proposed 2026 rules, however, the ACC champion would have secured an automatic berth.

Conversely, Notre Dame would have benefited from the 2026 rules a year earlier. The Fighting Irish finished the season ranked No. 11 in the final CFP poll but were left out of the playoff. Instead, No. 20 Tulane and No. 24 James Madison earned the final two spots as the highest‑ranked conference champions.

The CFP selection committee faced criticism for omitting Notre Dame and granting Miami an at‑large berth last season, despite the Fighting Irish holding higher rankings in prior polls. Under the new framework, that controversy would be moot: Notre Dame would automatically qualify for the playoff if it finishes within the top 12 of the final rankings. This provision was established before Notre Dame opted out of bowl participation.

Had the 2026 regulations applied in 2025, Notre Dame and Tulane would have been the final two teams selected, while Miami and James Madison would have been excluded. This outcome would have sparked considerable debate, especially since Miami had defeated Notre Dame in the season opener for both programs. Instead, Miami narrowly earned a playoff spot and reached the championship game, where it fell to Indiana.

Although the 12‑team format persists, Yahoo Sports reporter Ross Dellenger tweeted on Sunday that “growing momentum toward a larger field” is emerging, potentially expanding to 16 or 24 teams. He added that ESPN is exploring a 16‑team model in which the final four spots would be decided through four play‑in games, leaving roughly 20 teams in contention for those slots. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Pete Thamel noted on Monday that the proposal “faces considerable headwinds,” and CBS Sports reporter Brandon Marcello reported that CFP executives discussed possible expansion on Monday, though they provided no specifics on television windows, media payouts, or the 16‑team play‑in structure.

The CFP Management Committee comprises ten conference commissioners and Pete Bevacqua, Notre Dame’s athletics director. While the committee oversees day‑to‑day operations of the playoff, its decisions must be reviewed and approved by the CFP Board of Managers, which includes eleven university presidents and chancellors.

When the College Football Playoff debuted in 2014, only four teams qualified. The format persisted until the 2024 season, when leaders expanded the field to 12 teams, boosting fan engagement but failing to settle debates over the optimal size.

Currently, no consensus exists regarding the ideal format. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti advocates for a 24‑team playoff, whereas SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey prefers a 16‑team structure but remains open to solutions that best serve the conferences, teams, athletes, media partners, and fans.

‘We need to make a decision and move forward,’ Sankey told ESPN last month. ‘The endless discussion is hard to silence; we celebrated the move to 12 teams, but introducing new numbers a year and a half later only creates confusion.’

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