South Florida Will Host the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship Game

The College Football Playoff (CFP) announced that South Florida will host the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship on January 5, 2026. Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, will serve as the game site.

This will be the 22^nd college football national championship hosted in South Florida, and the second since the CFP era began in 2014. South Florida hosted the 2021 CFP National Championship between Alabama and Ohio State, though attendance was limited due to the adverse impact of the pandemic. The Orange Bowl Committee hosted the first 20 South Florida national championship games, most recently the 2013 BCS National Championship between Alabama and Notre Dame.

The Orange Bowl Committee led the community-wide bid effort to host the 2026 game along with the region’s counties, municipalities, tourism bureaus, chambers of commerce, and local universities.

“We are delighted to be returning to Miami,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoff. “South Florida was a great host for the 2021 national championship game despite the event being scaled back because of COVID-19, and we look forward to returning in 2026 with a full complement of events and activities during 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.”

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission will lead an effort to bring the College Football Playoff National Championship Game’s ancillary events and business opportunities into The Palm Beaches. The College Football Playoff National Championship Game is one of the largest stages in American sports. The economic and tourism benefits will immensely impact Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission facilitated an effort of bringing Super Bowl LIV and its tourism and economic influences into The Palm Beaches by hosting 12 Super Bowl Celebration Events over a 7-day stretch leading up to the game. Due to this effort, Super Bowl LIV generated over $25 million of visitor spending for The Palm Beaches. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission’s partnership with the 2026 CFP National Championship Game Host Committee will bring visitors, experiences, happenings, and impacts, created by the pinnacle of college football, to The Palm Beaches. Similar to Super Bowl LIV, the CFP National Championship Game will also provide economic and community benefits for Palm Beach County.