College Football Playoff selection rules have changed for the third year in a row. Here’s why

Key Points:

• The 2026 College Football Playoff (CFP) format will be the fourth consecutive year with changes, guaranteeing spots for the four Power 4 conference champions, the highest-ranked Group of 6 team (not necessarily a champion), and Notre Dame if ranked in the top 12.
• This new format, agreed upon in spring 2024 before the first 12-team CFP, was shaped largely by the SEC and Big Ten, who now control bracket size and receive significantly larger revenue shares than other conferences.
• Notre Dame has a unique financial and automatic bid carve-out due to its leverage and relationships with key commissioners, ensuring its inclusion if ranked in the top 12, which may complicate future selections.
• Revenue distribution heavily favors the SEC and Big Ten, each receiving about 29% of CFP revenue, with the ACC, Big 12, and Group of 6 conferences receiving smaller shares; performance bonuses for advancing in the bracket have been eliminated.
• TV broadcasting rights for 2026 include TNT Sports airing several playoff games under ESPN's sublicensing, with coverage also on truTV and HBO Max, while future CFP formats remain uncertain amid ongoing conference negotiations.