The College Football Playoff will expand to 12 teams beginning in the 2024 season, and the dates and bowl assignments were set on Tuesday for the first two editions of the expanded playoff. The Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl will host the semifinal games, while the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl and Sugar Bowl will serve as the quarterfinal sites over a two-day span on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day as the 12-team playoff era begins following the 2024 season. First-round games take place on the campuses of the higher-seeded teams.
2025 College Football Playoff dates, locations
First round (On-campus sites)
Friday, December 20, 2024: One game (evening)
Saturday, December 21, 2024: Three games (early afternoon, late afternoon and evening)
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, December 31, 2024: Fiesta Bowl (evening)
Wednesday, January 1, 2025: Peach Bowl (early afternoon), Rose Bowl, (late afternoon) and Sugar Bowl (evening)
Semifinals
Thursday, January 9, 2025: Orange Bowl (evening)
Friday, January 10, 2025: Cotton Bowl (evening)
CFP National Championship
Monday, January 20, 2025: Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta
2026 College Football Playoff dates, locations
First round (On-campus sites)
Friday, December 19, 2025: One Game (evening)
Saturday, December 20, 2025: Three Games (early afternoon, late afternoon and evening)
Quarterfinals
Wednesday, December 31, 2025: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (evening)
Thursday, January 1, 2026: Capital One Orange Bowl (early afternoon), Rose Bowl Game (late afternoon) and Allstate Sugar Bowl (evening)
Semifinals
Thursday, January 8, 2026: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (evening)
Friday, January 9, 2026: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (evening)
CFP National Championship
Monday, January 19, 2026: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
In 2024 and 2025, College Football Playoff semifinals will be on the Thursday and Friday Nights before NFL Wild Card weekend. So playoff football for five consecutive days/nights. College on Thur-Friday, NFL Sat-Sun-Mon. Incredible.
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) May 2, 2023
Confirmed 2024 & 2025 College Football Playoff Dates👀https://t.co/iEyf0osC6d pic.twitter.com/5VU0x3Oueo
— On3 (@On3sports) May 2, 2023
