Tampa Bay wins rights to host 2029 college football national championship

It’s a few years away, but those involved say they couldn’t wait to confirm that the College Football Playoff’s national championship game will once again be played in “Champa Bay” come 2029. 

Rich Clark, executive director of the College Football Playoff, made the announcement Wednesday morning from a fully CFP-branded Raymond James Stadium, the championship trophy and Tampa Bay Buccaneer Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks in tow. The stadium will host the college championship game for the second time on Jan. 22, 2029. 

Tampa was the first city in the Southeast to host the championship game back in 2017, when Clemson beat Alabama 35 to 31 in front of an overflow crowd of 74,512 fans, according to Visit Tampa Bay. Raymond James Stadium was built to seat 65,667.