MIAMI — Less than 24 hours after Ohio State edged Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national championship, the focus shifted to the 2027 edition as Las Vegas officially assumed hosting duties at a hand-off ceremony Tuesday.
At the JW Marriott Marquis in downtown Miami, south Florida officials passed a ceremonial football helmet to Las Vegas representatives, symbolizing the transfer of the mega event to Allegiant Stadium for the Jan. 25, 2027, game.
“Viva Las Vegas,” said CFP Executive Director Rich Clark. “We are very, very excited for this next chapter in CFP.”
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill praised Miami’s hosting of this year’s title game and expressed confidence that Las Vegas can elevate the experience. “We are excited to have the college football national championship coming to Las Vegas next year,” Hill said. “Las Vegas is a very special place, and it is the place to host events. It is built to host events.”
This year’s game in Miami is expected to generate $300 million in economic impact, according to Miami Host Committee Chairman Jack Seiler. Orange Bowl CEO Eric Poms noted that over 100,000 people visited south Florida for CFP weekend. Las Vegas anticipates a similar influx, filling its roughly 150,000 hotel rooms. Jeremy Aguero, principal at Applied Analysis, estimated a preliminary economic benefit of at least $500-$700 million, though the final figure depends on which teams reach the title game.
“If we did it at 70 percent of Super Bowl or Formula One, you know those types of things, just looking at what it could be, but the hard part is that until you know who the teams are going to be, and you don’t know what that’s going to look like,” said Aguero, who sits on the 2027 CFP Las Vegas Host Committee.
Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan, co-chair of the Las Vegas host committee, called hosting the CFP championship a natural progression after Las Vegas has hosted the Super Bowl and numerous college football games. “There’s no better time to welcome the pinnacle of college football to Las Vegas,” Douglass Morgan said.
One advantage for Las Vegas is its domed stadium. Monday’s game in Miami was played in unseasonably cold weather, a non-issue at Allegiant Stadium. “When you have a domed stadium, you definitely have the ability to control the elements within the building,” said Allegiant Stadium general manager Andy Gorchov. “Which is great. People can know that they can expect a nice, clean, comfortable and safe environment. That makes a big difference.”
