The College Football Playoff has extended its agreements with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl for six more years, allowing those bowls to host CFP games through 2026.
The three bowls will host a CFP game every year during the six-year period: the semifinals twice and other New Year's Six games four times. The semifinals feature the selection committee's No. 1 vs. No. 4 teams and No. 2 vs. No. 3 teams.
"These bowl games have provided a quality experience for the student-athletes and fans for many years, including the first four seasons of the CFP, and we know that will continue," CFP executive director Bill Hancock said in a statement. "The communities of greater Dallas, Phoenix and Atlanta have fully embraced the opportunity to be a part of this very popular event and to showcase the unique opportunities they offer to visitors."
The Cotton, Fiesta and Peach bowls, along with the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual, Allstate Sugar and Capital One Orange bowls, comprise the New Year's Six bowls. The Rose, Sugar and Orange bowls are referred to as contract bowls because they have existing agreements with the Power 5 conferences. Those three bowls were previously announced as semifinal hosts on a rotating basis through 2026.
Under the new agreement, the Peach Bowl will host the College Football Playoff semifinal in the 2022 and 2025 seasons.
"This is a tremendous win for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and an enormous win for the city of Atlanta," said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl Inc. CEO and president. "It is the highest form of validation for the growth and success of our game and our future in the CFP, and it will be a tremendous benefit to Atlanta, its economy and its significance as the college football capital of the world."
The Cotton Bowl will host a CFP semifinal this season on Dec. 29 at AT&T Stadium, marking the second semifinal hosted by the Classic. It will host semifinals again in the 2021 and 2024 seasons.
"We have enjoyed a special partnership with the College Football Playoff dating back to AT&T Stadium serving as host to the first College Football Playoff National Championship in 2015," Rick Baker, Cotton Bowl Athletic Association president and CEO, said in a statement. "Bill Hancock and his staff have done a tremendous job building the CFP brand from the ground up. We are elated to know the best in postseason college football will continue to come through North Texas for years to come."
The Fiesta Bowl will host CFP semifinals in the 2022 and 2025 seasons under the new agreement.
"Our extension with the College Football Playoff reflects the year-round work that enhances our legacy as a first-in-class college football bowl organization," Fiesta Bowl executive director Mike Nealy said in a statement. "Creating innovative experiences and driving economic growth for Arizona is our mission, and being a part of the CFP helps achieve that."