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Although the College Football Playoff will remain a 12-team field in 2026, the tournament committee has revealed postseason dates and bowl sites for the next two seasons.
Decisions focused on the dates of the quarterfinal and semifinal matches, as well as the decision to further delay the championship game in January, have sparked some negative reactions. New LSU coach Lane Kiffin is among those speaking out against the schedule.
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Lane Kiffin speaks at a news conference as he is introduced as the new football coach of the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on December 1, 2025. (Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)
The 2026 season quarterfinals are scheduled for Dec. 30 at the Fiesta Bowl and Jan. 1 at the Cotton, Peach and Rose Bowls. The semifinals will follow on Jan. 14 at the Orange Bowl and Jan. 15 at the Sugar Bowl, with the championship game on Jan. 25 in Las Vegas.
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Last month’s national title game between Indiana and Miami took place on January 19.
The quarterfinals of the 2027 season will be December 31 at the Sugar Bowl and January 1 at the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl and Rose Bowl. The semifinals are Jan. 13 at the Orange Bowl and Jan. 14 at the Cotton Bowl. The championship game is scheduled for Jan. 24 at the Superdome in New Orleans.
The College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy on January 8, 2018 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire)
Kiffin questioned the logic behind the extended gap between games, writing in
CFP Executive Director Rich Clark said the schedule is designed to promote competitive balance.
“These dates allow us to maintain competitive balance, maximize the fan experience and provide consistency for everyone involved in the Playoffs,” Clark said in a statement.
The CFP logo on the field before the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Washington Huskies at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on January 8, 2024. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
“I also want to thank our bowl partners and their local communities for the incredible work, collaboration and commitment they have shown over the first two years of the expanded playoffs. The bowl games and the people behind them embraced the change, delivered at the highest level and helped ensure the expanded format was a success for the student-athletes, the fans and the sport.”
The College Football Playoff debuted in 2014.
