LAS VEGAS — The College Football Playoff national championship is coming to Las Vegas in 2027, and CFP Executive Director Rich Clark is already planning to elevate the event beyond what fans saw in Miami this year.
Clark accepted a light bulb from the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign during a host committee news conference Tuesday in Miami, officially kicking off preparations for the Jan. 25, 2027, title game at Allegiant Stadium.
“We believe that you have to elevate your performance,” Clark said. “We need to be better next year. And we think that Vegas will be able to help us to get there.”
Clark highlighted the compact nature of the Las Vegas Strip, noting that roughly 60 percent of fans walk from hotels to the stadium. He recalled attending Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas with his father in 2024, walking everywhere without needing a car or ride-share.
“Having that sort of compact nature of the area where the stadium is located is just incredible,” Clark said.
Before the 2027 game, the CFP will decide whether to expand the playoff field from 12 to 16 teams. That decision is expected by the end of this week.
“If it does change, there’ll be some work there that we’re going to have to do,” Clark said. “But if we do get another better format (16-team), we’ll have to make some adjustments.”
Clark also addressed the possibility of the Las Vegas Bowl joining the playoff rotation, but said no venue decisions have been made beyond the format question.
When asked about a potential Super Bowl return to Las Vegas in 2029, Clark said the CFP does not have a set rotation and will evaluate all venues over the coming years.
“Vegas does it like nobody else does, and people love it,” Clark said. “Entertainment capital of the world, at least one of them, and we want to be a part of that.”
