The College Football Playoff (CFP) has revealed the latest on discussions of a 24-team field. On Friday, the CFP announced that the talks with ESPN are ongoing and "in the final stages of review." The CFP said it will make a decision once the review is complete. "A formal agreement between the CFP and ESPN regarding future media rights in connection with potential expansion is in the final stages of review by the CFP, " the statement said.
"A decision on the agreement will be made following this review. We will provide additional updates when appropriate." In October, ESPN's Pete Thamel and Heather Dinich reported that the CFP is nearing a deal to expand to 24 teams in 2027. If and when the deal is finalized, the 24-team field would include the Power 4 conference champions, the highest-ranked Group of 6 team, and 19 at-large bids.
In the proposed plan, the teams seeded No. 1 through No. 8 would earn a first-round bye and play their second-round game at home. The New Year's Six Bowls are still expected to host the quarterfinals and semifinals, and the national title game will still be played in January. "Constructive discussions with ESPN continued this week," the CFP said in a statement at the time.
"We have enjoyed a strong partnership with ESPN since our inception and are appreciative of the productive dialogue we have had throughout the negotiating period and continuing over the last several days. We will provide additional updates on the matters of future format and media rights when appropriate." The current CFP field includes 12 teams, and that started in 2024. The CFP was launched in 2014 and had four teams through 2023.
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