2026 will be final year for ACC Championship Game following College Football Playoff expansion

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The Atlantic Coast Conference and several other conferences across college football announced this season will be the last for conference football championship games.

On Monday, Nov. 9, the College Football Playoff and ESPN signed a five-year deal that will expand the playoffs from 12-teams to 24-teams. The expansion will eliminate Power 4 conference championship games, that including the Atlantic Coast Conference, Southeastern Conference, the Big 12 and Big 10.

The contract is worth nearly $1.7 billion, sources told ESPN.

The 22nd annual Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game for 2026 will be the final one in Charlotte. The Queen City has hosted 15 of the last 16 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Games from Bank of America Stadium.

The 24-team playoff will begin following the 2027 regular season. The field will include 19 at-large bids, the Power 4 conference champions will be determined by each league, plus the highest-ranked Group of 6 team.

The college football regular season will start on “Week Zero,” which is the weekend before Labor Day, and end on Thanksgiving weekend. The national championship game will keep its previously announced date of Jan. 24, 2028.

“The ACC Football Championship Game has been an important and meaningful part of our Conference’s history, and we are deeply appreciative of the student-athletes, coaches, institutions, fans, corporate partners and host communities that have contributed to its success,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “Charlotte has embraced this event and our Conference in a truly special way. We are sincerely thankful to the Carolina Panthers, Tepper Sports & Entertainment, the Charlotte Sports Foundation, the City of Charlotte and the people of this great community for their remarkable partnership, hospitality and passion for ACC Football. As we look ahead, the expanded College Football Playoff presents an exciting new chapter for college football and additional opportunities for ACC programs to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.”

The 22nd annual ACC Football Championship Game will be played Saturday, Dec. 5, at noon from Bank of America Stadium.