Key Takeaways
- The 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship will be held on Monday, January 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
- Jamal Roberts, the winner of Season 23 of American Idol, will perform the National Anthem.
- The pregame entertainment will include performances by the Florida Memorial University Ambassador Chorale, 17-year-old Brianna Therve, and 18-year-old Maria Pernalete.
- The College Football Playoff Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers initiative will honor the 2025 Teacher of the Year from each U.S. state and territory.
- The national championship game will feature No. 1 seed Indiana against No. 10 seed Miami.
Introduction to the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship
The College Football Playoff (CFP) has announced the pregame entertainment for the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship, which will be held on Monday, January 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The event will feature a variety of performances, including the National Anthem, which will be performed by Mississippi native and breakout soul artist Jamal Roberts. Jamal, who won Season 23 of American Idol with a record-setting 26 million votes, has quickly become a chart-topping artist with his debut single "Heal" debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs and Gospel Digital Song charts.
Pregame Entertainment and Performances
The pregame entertainment will begin with the presentation of the Nation’s Colors by a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard from the Military District of Washington, including members of the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. This will be followed by the unfurling of a giant American flag by volunteers from the Miami-Dade community. The National Anthem Ceremony will also include video feeds of U.S. troops stationed overseas, as well as a flyover from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami in Opa-locka, Florida. In addition to Jamal Roberts’ performance of the National Anthem, the pregame entertainment will also include performances by the Florida Memorial University Ambassador Chorale, who will perform "America the Beautiful" under the direction of Dr. Argarita Johnson.
Honoring Teachers and Service Members
The College Football Playoff Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers initiative will honor the 2025 Teacher of the Year from each U.S. state and territory during the pregame celebration. This initiative is an opportunity for fans to applaud these educators for their hard work and dedication, and furthers the CFP Foundation’s mission of elevating the teaching profession. The national championship game will also recognize Medal of Honor Recipient Master Sergeant (Retired) Earl D. Plumlee for his extraordinary heroism during combat operations in Afghanistan on August 28, 2013. Plumlee’s courage and selflessness embody the highest traditions of the United States Army and continue to inspire Americans nationwide.
Game Details and Broadcast Information
The national championship game will feature No. 1 seed Indiana against No. 10 seed Miami, with kickoff scheduled for 7:50 p.m. ET. Pregame festivities inside Hard Rock Stadium will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET, and will be produced by Michael T. Fiur Productions. ESPN sideline reporter Stormy Buonantony will return as the in-stadium emcee of the national championship game for the fourth straight year, and will be joined by renowned DJ Mal-Ski, who will energize the crowd with his signature high-energy performance. For additional information on the College Football Playoff and the national championship game, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com, and join the social conversation by using the CFP’s official hashtag, #CFBPlayoff.
About the College Football Playoff
The College Football Playoff (CFP) is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The CFP selection committee ranks the top 25 teams at the end of the regular season, with the five highest ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams seeded into a 12-team bracket. The teams ranked Nos. 5-12 will play in the CFP First Round, with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds. The Playoff Quarterfinals and Playoff Semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games, and the College Football Playoff National Championship will be held on Monday, January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com.
