The College Football Playoff (CFP) Board of Managers has agreed to start a 12-team playoff in the 2024-2025 season.
The first round will be played on December 21, 2024, at the home field of the higher-seeded team or another location chosen by the higher-seeded team.
The quarterfinal and semifinal games will be played in bowls on a rotating basis. The national championship games will be played on January 20, 2025, in Atlanta, and January 19, 2026, in Miami.
"A new era of college football is about to begin," said Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff.
In addition to announcing the expansion of the playoff and the timeline for implementation, the CFP also announced the locations for the quarterfinal and semifinal games for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
For the 2024 season, the quarterfinal games will be played in the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, while the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl will host the semifinal games.
In 2025, the quarterfinal games will be played in the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, with the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl hosting the semifinal games.
The specific dates for all of these games will be announced at a later time.