The 2025-26 College Football Playoff (CFP) season adopts the expanded 12-team format, delivering thrilling postseason football from mid-December through January. ESPN holds exclusive broadcast rights, with some games also airing on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max for the first round. Below is the full schedule with game dates, kickoff times, venues, and TV channels to help fans catch every moment of the action.
| Date/Time (ET)/TV | Game Details & TV Channel |
|---|---|
| Friday, Dec 19 8:00 PM ABC/ESPN/WatchESPN | First Round Game 1 Campus Site TBD |
| Saturday, Dec 20 12:00 PM ABC/ESPN/WatchESPN | First Round Game 2 Campus Site TBD |
| Saturday, Dec 20 3:30 PM TNT/truTV/HBO Max | First Round Game 3 Campus Site TBD |
| Saturday, Dec 20 7:30 PM TNT/truTV/HBO Max | First Round Game 4 Campus Site TBD |
| Wednesday, Dec 31 7:30 PM ESPN/WatchESPN | Quarterfinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX |
| Thursday, Jan 1 12:00 PM ESPN/WatchESPN | Quarterfinal Capital One Orange Bowl Miami Gardens, FL |
| Thursday, Jan 1 4:00 PM ESPN/WatchESPN | Quarterfinal Rose Bowl Game Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA |
| Thursday, Jan 1 8:00 PM ESPN/WatchESPN | Quarterfinal Allstate Sugar Bowl Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA |
| Thursday, Jan 8 7:30 PM ESPN/WatchESPN | Semifinal Vrbo Fiesta Bowl State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ |
| Friday, Jan 9 7:30 PM ESPN/WatchESPN | Semifinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA |
| Monday, Jan 19 7:30 PM ESPN/WatchESPN | National Championship Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL |
The playoffs begin with four first-round games held on campus sites, offering home advantage to the higher seeds, before progressing to the classic major bowl venues for the quarterfinals and semifinals. The National Championship Game will crown the college football champion on January 19 in Miami Gardens.
With multiple broadcast options, including ESPN’s streaming service and cable channels TNT and truTV for early rounds, fans can follow all the high-stakes football action throughout the holiday season.
Whether you’re planning watch parties or streaming on the go, this comprehensive schedule ensures you won’t miss a minute of the thrilling College Football Playoff chase.