The 12-team College Football Playoff for the 2025 season starts with the first round on Friday, December 19, 2025, and Saturday, December 20, 2025. The first-round games are played on the campuses of the higher-seeded teams. Here is the key schedule for the 2025-26 12-team College Football Playoff:
- First Round: December 19-20, 2025 (on-campus games)
- Quarterfinals: December 31, 2025, and January 1, 2026 (bowl games)
- Semifinals: January 8-9, 2026 (bowl games)
- National Championship: January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
The 12-team format has the top four seeds receiving a bye past the first round, while seeds 5 through 12 play in the opening round at home stadiums of the higher-ranked teams.
