The College Football Playoff National Championship Game is returning to Miami with Hard Rock Stadium set to host the game on Jan. 5, 2026.
The Playoff management committee announced a return to South Florida, which previously hosted the 2021 title game between Alabama and Ohio State.
“We are delighted to be returning to Miami,” Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock said in a statement. “South Florida was a great host for the 2021 national championship game despite the event having to be scaled back because of COVID-19, and we look forward to returning in 2026 with a full complement of events and activities during the national championship weekend.
“The first-class stadium, convention center, hotels and supportive people in South Florida made the decision to return quite easy. The CFP National Championship has become one of the most popular sporting events in the United States in a short period of time, and we look forward to a terrific celebration in Miami in 2026.”
It’s the 22nd time South Florida has hosted a college football national championship game.
“We are truly honored that the College Football Playoff would select Miami as the site of the 2026 CFP National Championship,” Jack Seiler, chair of the 2026 Host Committee said in a statement. “Our region is a premier destination for major sporting events, and we are excited to have South Florida shine in the national spotlight once again.”
The 2021 title game occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and featured limited attendance, and events were either eliminated or reduced to accommodate health and safety concerns.
“Following our successful hosting of the 2021 CFP National Championship through the unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19, we immediately became focused on the next viable opportunity to once again bring college football’s most prestigious event back to our community with a complete championship experience and a capacity crowd at the spectacular Hard Rock Stadium,” added Seiler.
This will be the third time since the Playoff inception in 2014 that the title game will be featured in Florida, with Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium hosting in 2017.
The Playoff committee also announced that Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium would host the 2025 game. The venue previously hosted the title game in 2018.
This year’s CFP title game takes place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Jan. 9, 2023.
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