Sources - Conferences, Notre Dame agree to new playoff deal - ESPN

All nine FBS conferences and Notre Dame have agreed to the next College Football Playoff contract, which will begin in 2026 and bring the sport's postseason much closer to an expected 14-team field with guarantees for conference champions.

The memorandum of understanding guarantees that the field will have at least 12 teams in 2026 and beyond, but sources indicate there is a strong preference for a 14-team field that includes the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next nine highest-ranked teams. Sources caution that the exact format is not finalized, and the Big Ten and SEC will have the bulk of control over that, but others will be protected by parameters that have been put in place and can't be altered.

«Anything else regarding format is to be determined,» CFP executive director Bill Hancock said. «This is a very important next step for CFP, of course, and we do still have details to be finalized regarding the format, but I want to stress that the really good news is that football fans will continue to see the best teams in the country competing for the national championship on the playing field. This arrangement will also ensure the expanded access will continue to be in place. We firmly believe this, about the importance of a competitive opportunity for more programs and more players and more fans. We're pleased to be in the position we're in, while we know there's still more work to be done.»

The commissioners and Notre Dame agreed that the conference champions from the ACC, Big Ten, SEC and Big 12 and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion would earn playoff berths, and Notre Dame will have protections that will survive regardless of the ultimate format.

With those ironclad guarantees, the other