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College Football Playoff expands to 24 teams starting next season

ESPN agreed to a five-year, $1.7 billion addition, and the SEC says its 2026 title game will be its last.

Published Nov 9, 2026 · 19:50 UTC4 reports

The short version

  • The College Football Playoff will expand to 24 teams beginning next season.[Associated Press]
  • ESPN agreed to a five-year addition worth $1.7 billion to add 11 new games to the format.[Associated Press]
  • The SEC says its 2026 football championship game will be the final edition of the event.[Fox News]
  • Nick Saban said not 24 teams in the country can win a national championship.[Fox News]

Key facts

  • The College Football Playoff will expand to 24 teams beginning next season.[Associated Press · Fox News]
  • ESPN agreed to a five-year addition worth $1.7 billion for 11 new games, on top of its $7.8 billion contract through 2031.[Associated Press]
  • The Southeastern Conference announced that the 2026 SEC Football Championship Game will be the final edition of the event.[Fox News]
  • Nick Saban said there are not 24 teams in the country that can win a national championship.[Fox News]
  • Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, who chairs the CFP board, said opening the playoff to more programs is great for college football.[Associated Press]

What remains uncertain

  • Full financial terms were not announced, so the $1.7 billion figure is ESPN's own characterization of the deal.[Associated Press]
  • Saban's view that 24 teams cannot compete for a title is an opinion, and the format's competitive effects are not yet known.[Fox News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.