CFP would be unable to expand beyond 24 teams under new deal, per report
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The 2023-24 College Football Playoff featured four teams. The 2027-28 College Football Playoff will likely include 24 teams. Once the new CFP deal is inked, though, we won’t see more than 24 teams for at least a half dozen seasons.
According to On3’s Ross Dellenger, the CFP will not be able to expand past 24 teams throughout the duration of its proposed six-year pact with ESPN. That limits the CFP to 24 teams through the 2032 campaign.
Some news in here: As part of the expansion agreement with ESPN, the CFP cannot expand beyond 24 teams through the current six-year contract. The earliest any new expansion can happen is 2032, sources says 👇
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 22, 2026
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The CFP has undergone significant changes since its 2014-15 four-team inception when it replaced the BCS. The initial 12-team format, with four byes reserved for the highest-ranked conference champions, was immediately scrapped after Boise State and Arizona State secured passes to the quarterfinals in 2024-25. Last year, both Indiana and Ohio State earned byes after their duel in the Big Ten Championship. One modification for 2026-27 is that the Power 4 champions and top Group of 6 receive automatic bids, instead of the top five conference champions.
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