Where is the CFP national championship game in 2026? Location, city, stadium and more to know originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers will face off against the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes for a chance at college football glory.
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The Hoosier’s journey to the championship is one of the most unexpected in recent memory, highlighting how college football has evolved considerably from its earlier days.
Thanks to the transfer portal and NIL policies, underdog schools now have a real shot. Since hiring Curt Cignetti, who aggressively utilized the portal over the past two seasons, Indiana has assembled playoff-caliber rosters. What once seemed impossible for a team like Indiana has become achievable.
But the 2025-26 Hoosiers have proven they’re more than just playoff contenders. After beating Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship and dominating their playoff opponents, Indiana has established itself as a powerhouse. They aim to cap an undefeated season with a win on Monday night.
As for the Hurricanes, they began the year as well as any program could. After a 5-0 start, Miami hit a rough patch with losses to two unranked teams.
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Losing at home to Louisville and on the road to SMU put their season in jeopardy and nearly knocked them out of the CFP contention.
After making the tough decision to exclude Notre Dame, the committee must be confident in their choice. Now, on Monday night, the Hurricanes aim to become the lowest seed ever to win a national championship.
The Sporting News provides all the information you need about the venue hosting college football’s championship game to determine the 2025-26 season’s national champion.
MORE CFP CHAMPIONSHIP GAME NEWS:
Where is the College Football Playoff championship game in 2026?
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Location: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, Florida)
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Matchup: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 10 Miami
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Monday night’s national title game will kick off at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. The stadium is the home of the Miami Hurricanes, despite the Hurricanes being the designated away team, and the Miami Dolphins.
This marks the second time the venue has hosted the National Championship game. In 2021, the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes to win their third CFP title.
The stadium originally opened in 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium and was renamed Hard Rock in 2016, a name it has kept since.
Hard Rock Stadium has hosted six Super Bowls, the Orange Bowl, a plethora of CFP games, and even some Formula 1 races. Hard Rock is also set to host matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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When is the College Football Playoff championship game?
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Date: Monday, Jan. 19, 2026
The 2026 CFP national championship game between the Hoosiers and Hurricanes will kick off on Monday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 p.m. EST.
CFP championship game location by year
The 2026 National Championship game will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. With this being the second time Hard Rock has hosted the title game, here’s a look back at the other locations that have hosted this game in the playoff era.
|
Season |
Matchup |
Location |
Results |
|
2014-15 |
No. 2 Oregon vs. No. 4 Ohio State |
AT&T Stadium (Arlington. Texas) |
Ohio State 42, Oregon 20 |
|
2015-16 |
No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 2 Alabama |
University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, Ariz.) |
Alabama 45, Clemson 40 |
|
2016-17 |
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 2 Clemson |
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Fla.) |
Clemson 35, Alabama 31 |
|
2017-18 |
No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 4 Alabama |
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Ga.) |
Alabama 26, Georgia 23 |
|
2018-19 |
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 2 Clemson |
Levi’s Stadium(Santa Clara, Calif.) |
Clemson 44, Alabama 16 |
|
2019-20 |
No. 1 LSU vs. No. 2 Clemson |
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans, La. ) |
LSU 42, Clemson 25 |
|
2020-21 |
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 3 Ohio State |
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.) |
Alabama 52, Ohio State 24 |
|
2021-22 |
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 3 Georgia |
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis. In.) |
Georgia 33, Alabama 18 |
|
2022-23 |
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 3 TCU |
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.) |
Georgia 65, TCU 7 |
|
2023-24 |
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Washington |
NRG Stadium (Houston) |
Michigan 34. Washington 13 |
|
2024-25 |
No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 8 Ohio State |
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Ga.) |
Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 23 |
