ESPN Locks In Exclusive Rights To 24-Team CFP Through 2031

ESPN has reached an agreement with the College Football Playoff to serve as the exclusive worldwide media rights holder for the expanded 24-team CFP, with the deal running through the 2031 season, ESPN reported.

The announcement, made Nov. 9, 2026, covers the newly expanded playoff format set to begin next season. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro framed the agreement as a continuation of the network's existing relationship with the postseason event.

"This moment reinforces our position as the preeminent destination for college sports," Pitaro said in a statement cited by ESPN. "Since its inception, we've worked closely with the CFP to build the playoff into one of the marquee events in sports. Today's announcement reflects the strength of this partnership and our shared commitment to delivering even more excitement for fans in the years ahead in this new playoff format that the CFP has created."

What did ESPN and the CFP agree to?

The agreement names ESPN as the sole worldwide rights holder for the expanded CFP, according to the network's report. The deal does not carve out rights for other broadcasters under the terms described in the announcement.

How long does the ESPN deal run?

The rights agreement extends through the 2031 season, per ESPN. That timeline covers the full run of seasons under the new 24-team format as it currently stands.

What does the new 24-team format look like?

Under the new format, the college football regular season will run from the week before Labor Day through Thanksgiving weekend, ESPN reported. The expanded bracket grows the field from its previous size to 24 teams, widening access to the postseason across the sport.

When is the next championship game?

The first national championship game under the 24-team model is scheduled for Jan. 24, 2028, as had been previously set, according to ESPN's report. That date was already on the calendar before Sunday's rights announcement and was not altered by the new deal.

Who approved the new playoff format?

CFP executive director Rich Clark said the format was approved by the CFP's management committee, which is composed of the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, per ESPN. The vote in favor of the 24-team model was unanimous, Clark said.

CFP expansion by the numbers

• 24 teams will make up the expanded playoff field beginning next season.
• 10 FBS commissioners, plus Notre Dame's athletic director, make up the CFP management committee that approved the format.
• 2031 season is the final year covered under ESPN's new exclusive rights agreement.
• Jan. 24, 2028 is the date set for the first championship game under the 24-team model.

What's next for ESPN and the CFP?

The rights announcement arrives as ESPN continues to build out its college football programming around the expanded playoff calendar. Items to watch as the new format takes shape:

• Whether CFP member conferences adjust scheduling philosophies to account for the longer regular-season window running through Thanksgiving weekend.
• How selection and seeding procedures are finalized for the 24-team bracket ahead of next season.
• Any additional CFP governance decisions from the management committee as the 2028 championship date approaches.
• Continued public comment from ESPN executives, including Pitaro, as the network builds promotional plans around its exclusive window through 2031.

ESPN's report did not include financial terms of the rights agreement, and none are included here because they were not disclosed in the source material.

For the full announcement and additional CFP bracket coverage, see ESPN's original report.

What reaction has the format drawn on ESPN's own platforms?

ESPN's coverage of the rights announcement included commentary tied directly to the new 24-team bracket, with on-air personality Stephen A. Smith pushing for stronger non-conference scheduling in light of the expanded field, according to a segment title listed alongside ESPN's report, "Stephen A. calls for teams to have stronger schedules in light of 24-team CFP." The network did not publish the full remarks in the text of its announcement, so no direct quote from that segment is included here.

The timing placed the rights deal in the middle of an active Week 10 news cycle, with ESPN's college football desk simultaneously tracking CFP bracket projections and bowl-picture scenarios tied to the expanded format, per the network's report. Those storylines are expected to continue running alongside coverage of the new media rights term through the 2031 season.