The College Football Playoff (CFP) is a four-team, single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of American college football. The CFP was created in 2014 to replace the Bowl Championship Series, which had been used to determine the national champion since 1998. The CFP expanded to six teams in 2024. The current contract runs through the 2025 season. The 2025 CFP National Championship Game will be played on January 12, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium, in Santa Clara, California.
The CFP has been a controversial topic since its inception. Critics argue that it is unfair to the teams that do not make the playoff, and that it gives too much power to the selection committee. Proponents of the CFP argue that it creates more excitement and drama at the end of the college football season, and that it gives the best teams a chance to compete for the national championship.