The College Football Playoff has unveiled the schedule for quarterfinal and semifinal games through the 2031 season. Notably, all playoff games beyond the opening round will be hosted by CFP bowls on a rotating basis.

In a significant shift, the first quarterfinal game of the 2026 season is set for Dec. 30, moving away from the traditional Dec. 31 New Year's Eve slot. This change arises as New Year's Eve falls on a Thursday, potentially competing with the NFL for viewership.

Key highlights include:

• The Rose Bowl will maintain its preferred Jan. 1 timeslot, opting out of hosting a semifinal game for the next six seasons.
• A two-week gap between the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds will occur in 2026-27 and 2027-28, differing from the usual one-week interval.
• National Championship Game locations for the next three seasons are set for Las Vegas (2027), New Orleans (2028), and Tampa (2029), with Tampa last hosting in January 2017.

The current 12-team format remains in effect at least through the 2026 season, following unresolved discussions between the SEC and Big Ten regarding potential expansion to a 16- or 24-team bracket.

Upcoming Schedule:

2028-29 College Football Playoff:

• Quarterfinals:
  • Dec. 30, 2028: Capital One Orange Bowl
  • Jan. 1, 2029: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential, Allstate Sugar Bowl
• Semifinals:
  • Jan. 11, 2029: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
  • Jan. 12, 2029: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

2029-30 College Football Playoff:

• Quarterfinals:
  • Jan. 1, 2030: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential
  • Jan. 2, 2030: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
• Semifinals:
  • Jan. 10, 2030: Allstate Sugar Bowl
  • Jan. 11, 2030: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

2030-31 College Football Playoff:

• Quarterfinals:
  • Dec. 31, 2030: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
  • Jan. 1, 2031: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential
• Semifinals:
  • Jan. 9, 2031: Capital One Orange Bowl
  • Jan. 10, 2031: Allstate Sugar Bowl

2031-32 College Football Playoff:

• Quarterfinals:
  • Dec. 31, 2031: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
  • Jan. 1, 2032: Capital One Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential, Allstate Sugar Bowl
• Semifinals:
  • To be determined.