CFP 2026-27 Fan Shirts: Schedule and Licensing Rules

The 2026-27 College Football Playoff field is set on Selection Day, Sunday, December 6, 2026, and the season ends with the national championship on Monday, January 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Between those dates come conference title games, on-campus first-round games, four quarterfinal bowls, and two semifinals, which add up to about seven weeks of fan shirt demand. It is also the most heavily licensed apparel market a small shop will see. This guide covers the schedule, what changed this year, who owns the marks, and shirt ideas that stay on the right side of the rules.

This is general information for shop owners, not legal advice. When an order is borderline, ask an intellectual property attorney.

What changed for 2026

The playoff is still a 12-team bracket, but the CFP announced on Aug. 6, 2026 that, beginning this season, the field includes the champions of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC, the highest-ranked champion among the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, and Sun Belt, and the next seven highest-ranked teams. Notre Dame qualifies if it is ranked in the top 12. The top three seeds, in rank order, now choose their bowl path instead of following conference tie-ins. The CFP said on Oct. 10, 2026 that talks with ESPN about a possible 24-team format are continuing; that would not affect this season.

The 2026-27 schedule

Dates and times come from the CFP, the conferences, the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl, and Army West Point Athletics. The CFP announces which quarterfinal fills each Jan. 1 time slot (noon, 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. ET) on Selection Day. Las Vegas hosts a championship fan week from Jan. 20 to 25, 2027, according to Visit Las Vegas.

Who owns what

The playoff marks. The CFP's licensing page names CLC, now part of Learfield, as the playoff's merchandise licensing agent. USPTO records show "College Football Playoff" registered for T-shirts, sweatshirts, and caps (Reg. No. 6075162) to BCS Properties, LLC, along with the CFP logo and the round names "Playoff First Round," "Playoff Quarterfinal," and "Playoff Semifinal." An application for "CFP" on clothing is pending. The bowls. Bowl names and logos belong to the bowl organizations and their sponsors. Bowl and playoff merchandise is licensed through a separate process run by CLC's NCAA and Bowl Properties division. The schools. University names, nicknames, logos, and mascots are trademarks. The University of Texas System's trademark office says a license is required for products featuring its marks, and Ohio State requires prior written permission for any use outside official university business. School colors can be protected too: in Board of Supervisors for LSU v. Smack Apparel Co. (5th Cir. 2008), the court held that T-shirts combining four schools' color schemes with references to their games were likely to confuse buyers, even though no school name or logo appeared. Officially licensed product. According to CLC, 54 companies were licensed to make merchandise for the 2026 title game, and licensed goods carry the "Officially Licensed Collegiate Products" hologram. CLC and CFP officials worked to stop counterfeit merchandise starting at the first-round campus games.

Getting licensed

CLC's "Get Licensed" page lists two license types, retail and internal, with a $250 non-refundable application fee plus $125 for each additional school. Approved licensees pay a first-year administrative fee, schools may add their own fees, and CLC requires $2 million aggregate and $1 million per occurrence in insurance, supply chain disclosure, and artwork approval through its Brand Manager 360 system. Retail licensees buy hologram labels for every licensed item.

Some schools offer small-scale programs, but they rarely fit a print shop. Ohio State's Crafter Program, for example, is limited to Ohio residents making non-apparel items at home. For most shops, licensed playoff and school work comes as a subcontract from a licensed vendor or a direct order from the school or its booster organization.

Shirt ideas that avoid the marks

Watch party shirts. "Smith Family Watch Party, Jan. 25, 2027" with a football graphic drawn by the shop. No school name, no playoff wording, and a neutral color palette. Road trip shirts. Fans traveling to Glendale, Pasadena, New Orleans, or Las Vegas often order group shirts. City names and dates are fine; avoid bowl names and logos. Tailgate crew shirts. Group nicknames, grill or cooler art, and the season year. Licensed and authorized orders. A school's own clubs, departments, or booster groups can order with the school's approval. Ask for written permission and keep it on file. Army-Navy. The academies' names, mascots, and logos are protected like any other school's. Unit or family shirts for the Dec. 12 game should come with permission when they use academy marks.

For the same issues in other leagues, see the World Series and MLB trademark guide and the Super Bowl LXI and NFL trademark guide.

Production timing

• The four first-round matchups are not known until Dec. 6, and the games are 12 to 13 days later. Have blanks in team-adjacent colors on hand and keep designs ready to finalize.
• Holiday carrier cutoffs land in the same weeks. Check the holiday shipping deadlines guide.
• DTF suits short runs with names and numbers. Confirm press settings in the DTF temperature and time chart, and see the team spirit shirt guide for layouts.

When is the 2027 College Football Playoff national championship?

The national championship is Monday, January 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN, according to the CFP. Las Vegas hosts a fan week from January 20 to 25.

When is CFP Selection Day 2026?

Selection Day is Sunday, December 6, 2026, from noon to 3 p.m. ET on ESPN. The committee announces the 12-team bracket and the first-round campus sites, with games on December 18 and 19.

Can I print "College Football Playoff" on a shirt?

Not without a license. USPTO records show "College Football Playoff" registered for clothing to BCS Properties, LLC, and CLC is the playoff's licensing agent. Round names such as "Playoff Semifinal" are also registered.

Can I use a school's colors without its logo?

Not safely when the shirt also points to that school's team or games. In LSU v. Smack Apparel (5th Cir. 2008), shirts using school colors with game references were found likely to confuse buyers. Neutral colors and original designs are safer.

How does a print shop get licensed for college apparel?

Apply through CLC, which lists a $250 application fee plus $125 per additional school, insurance requirements, and artwork approval. Each school must approve the licensee, and bowl and playoff merchandise uses a separate process.

Where it fits in the DTF Database

Bowl season runs straight into New Year's Eve and the Super Bowl LXI and Valentine's Day window, with Mardi Gras 2027 in between. For the rules on characters and brands generally, see the licensed character and trademark guide.