The 2026 College Football Playoff (CFP) Semifinal is set to take place at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. This event is scheduled for January 9, 2026, featuring top teams vying for a chance to advance to the national championship.
Details of the Semifinal Matchup
The CFP selection committee has unveiled the potential teams competing in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The candidates include:
- No. 9 Alabama
- No. 8 Oklahoma
- No. 12 James Madison
- No. 5 Oregon
- No. 4 Texas Tech
- No. 1 Indiana
The semifinal will take place at 7:30 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It will be broadcasted live on ESPN.
Path to the Semifinal
This season’s semifinal will feature the winners of two quarterfinal games, which will occur at the Rose Bowl and the Capital One Orange Bowl on January 1, 2026. The victor of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl will earn a spot in the 2026 CFP National Championship Game, which is scheduled for January 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl’s History
The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl has a rich history of hosting crucial college football matches. This will be the fourth semifinal for the event, with previous competitions held in:
- 2016
- 2019
- 2022
The Peach Bowl first hosted a CFP Quarterfinal on January 1, 2025. Notably, the last semifinal match, in 2022, saw No. 1 Georgia triumph over No. 4 Ohio State with a close score of 42-41.
Structure of the 2025-26 CFP
The current playoff format allows for 12 teams. It includes:
- The five highest-ranked conference champions
- The seven next highest-ranked teams
Teams are seeded based on their final rankings, where the top four receive a first-round bye. The lower seeds will compete in the CFP First Round, hosted by higher seeds.
Upcoming Playoff Quarterfinals
The quarterfinals set to take place on January 1 will be hosted by:
- Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
- Capital One Orange Bowl
- Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential
- Allstate Sugar Bowl
This year marks an exciting chapter in college football as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl prepares to bring the thrill of the CFP semifinals to fans nationwide.
