Opening CFP 1st-round sport to begin at evening on Dec. 19

The first spherical of the 12-team College Football Playoff will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 19 on ABC and ESPN, adopted by a tripleheader Dec. 20 that begins at midday, the CFP, ESPN and TNT introduced Tuesday.

ESPN, which has owned the unique rights to the playoff since its inception in 2015, is within the second yr of its present expanded bundle, which incorporates all 4 video games of the CFP first spherical with two of the video games sublicensed to TNT Sports.

On Dec. 20, ABC and ESPN will broadcast the primary sport of Saturday’s tripleheader at midday, whereas TNT will current video games at 3:30 and seven:30 p.m., respectively. All video games on ESPN networks might be accessible on the ESPN App, whereas the first-round video games airing on TNT and truTV will even be streamed on HBO Max.

Each of the 4 first-round video games might be performed on campuses to be introduced on Selection Day, Dec. 7.

“We are pleased to work with both ESPN and TNT Sports to deliver these first-round games to fans across the country in premier viewing windows,” CFP govt director Rich Clark stated in a information launch. “We also appreciate the collaboration with the National Football League in coordinating schedules to best serve fans of both college and professional football. This all reflects the growing reach and excitement surrounding the new playoff format, and we look forward to showcasing the best of college football on both networks.”

Further scheduling particulars, together with full MegaCast info, might be introduced later this yr.

Last season, the inaugural CFP first spherical delivered 10.6 million common viewers throughout ESPN networks and TNT Sports. The quarterfinals scored multiyear viewership highs, whereas the semifinals produced the most-watched Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on file (20.6 million viewers) and the second-most-watched Capital One Orange Bowl in almost 20 years (17.8 million viewers).

The 2025 CFP National Championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame attracted 22.1 million viewers, the most-watched non-NFL sporting occasion over the previous yr. The showdown peaked with 26.1 million viewers.

It was introduced in April that ESPN will current every of the 4 playoff quarterfinals, the 2 semifinals and the nationwide championship sport on Jan. 19, 2026, at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.