SCOTTSDALE, AZ (April 22, 2025) – In only the second year of the 12-team playoff, the Fiesta Sports Foundation will host the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. MST, in Glendale, Arizona. The 55^th annual game will be broadcast live nationally on ESPN through its linear television and digital platforms.
 
The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl will send its winner to the CFP National Championship Game in Miami on January 19, 2026. This is the fourth time the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl will serve as a CFP Semifinal.
 
The last two CFP Semifinal at Vrbo Fiesta Bowl games were instant classics, both considered by many as the game of the year that season in college football. In 2022, underdog TCU defeated Michigan, 51-45, in a matchup that featured 44 combined points in the third quarter alone, with touchdowns on six-straight possessions between the two teams culminating in a Vrbo Fiesta Bowl record of 96 combined points scored in a single game. Clemson and Ohio State faced off in the 2019 CFP Semifinal, when the Tigers erased a 16-0 deficit and held off Ohio State's fourth-quarter comeback attempts, securing a 29-23 Clemson victory.
 
Participants for the CFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl will earn advancement by winning in the CFP Quarterfinal round, which will consist of one game on December 31, 2025, followed by three matchups on January 1, 2026. The 12-team CFP field will be announced on Sunday, December 7, and the CFP First Round will take place on December 19-20.
 
"Under the College Football Playoff's new 12-team format, the CFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl will be the third round in the pursuit of a national championship and the focus of college football fans across the country when two of the best of college football teams face off for our local fans and those who travel to our world-class destination!" said Fiesta Sports Foundation Executive Director & CEO Erik Moses. "If the Fiesta Bowl's rich history of jaw-dropping games and unexpected outcomes is any indication, fans will not want to miss this year's CFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl."
 
The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl has been a must-see postseason game, with some of college football's most memorable moments occurring in the Valley of the Sun. The final margin has regularly been a one-score margin and several of college football's signature games have been played at the Fiesta Bowl.
 
Vrbo, part of Expedia Group, was announced as the Fiesta Bowl's new title partner in July 2022. In addition to the game's exclusive naming rights, Vrbo (pronounced 'ver-boh') also became the official travel sponsor of the College Football Playoff. With the Fiesta Bowl, Vrbo enjoys a fully-integrated partnership that incorporates fan activations in addition to digital and social media, content, in-stadium exposure and inclusion at other year-round Fiesta Sports Foundation events such as the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade.
 
The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl is now accepting fan deposits for this season's game tickets by visiting www.FiestaBowl.org/tickets. Questions may be directed to the Fiesta Bowl Ticket Office by calling (480) 350-0911 or emailing tickets@fiestabowl.org. Fiesta Legacy Members receive exclusive benefits, including priority seat locations, preferred parking access, specific stadium entry, first access to purchase additional tickets before the general public and more.
 
A variety of premium seating options are available for purchase for fans seeking an elevated experience. For questions regarding Vrbo Fiesta Bowl premium experiences, contact (480) 350-0911 or premium@fiestabowl.org.
 
Fast Facts about the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl:

• This year's CFP Semifinal will be the 55^th annual game in Fiesta Bowl history
• This is the fourth time that the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl host a CFP Semifinal. Previous results: 2022, TCU beat Michigan 51-45; 2019, Clemson beat Ohio State 29-23; 2016, Clemson beat Ohio State 31-0
• The 2024 college football calendar year finished at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, with the CFP Quarterfinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on December 31, 2024, as Penn State defeated Boise State, 31-14
• The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl hosted the first-ever CFP Quarterfinal. The Bowl also hosted the first-ever Bowl Alliance National Championship Game (1996: Nebraska beat Florida, 52-24) and first-ever Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game (1999: Tennessee beat Florida State, 29-23)
• The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl's final margin has been a one-score game in 5 of the last 8 seasons
• The 2003 and 2007 Fiesta Bowl games are regularly considered among the top five games in college football history
• The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl has hosted seven national championship games
• Ohio State has the most appearances in Vrbo Fiesta Bowl history, with nine games played
• Penn State owns a perfect 8-0 record in Vrbo Fiesta Bowl history, the most wins by any school in any bowl game
• Arizona State played in the first three Fiesta Bowl games, and four of the first five games. Overall, the Sun Devils have a 5-1 record in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
• 13 Heisman Trophy winners have played in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
• Some of college football's most talked-about moments came in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl:
  • 2022 Fiesta Bowl with a Bowl-record 96 total points, including 44 combined points in the third quarter, as TCU upset Michigan to advance to CFP National Championship
  • 2019 Fiesta Bowl when Clemson came back to beat Ohio State in what was ranked the best game of 2019 by ESPN 
  • 2007 Fiesta Bowl where Boise State upset Oklahoma in dramatic fashion
  • 2005 Fiesta Bowl had Utah become the first non-power conference team to beat a power conference with its win over Pittsburgh
  • 2003 Fiesta Bowl national championship between Ohio State and Miami that went to overtime in a hotly-contested game
  • 1996 Fiesta Bowl in which Tommie Frazier created a highlight with a 75-yard touchdown run that many still talk about today
  • 1989 Fiesta Bowl as Notre Dame completed a perfect season and secured its most recent national championship
  • 1987 Fiesta Bowl was dubbed the "Game of the Century" and "Battle for Number 1" between Penn State and Miami in the first created national championship

ABOUT THE FIESTA SPORTS FOUNDATION
Since its inception in 1971, the Fiesta Sports Foundation has been a world-class community organization that executes innovative experiences, drives economic growth and champions charitable causes, inspiring pride in all Arizonans during and outside of college football bowl season. As a nonprofit organization, it is driven by its vision to create unforgettable experiences through world-class sporting events, unparalleled hospitality and life-changing community impact. Through the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Rate Bowl and its year-round events, including the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, corporate partnerships and numerous community events throughout the year, the Foundation provides charitable resources to support Arizona nonprofit organizations that serve communities through a focus on youth, sports and education. Learn more at www.FiestaSportsFoundation.org and @Fiesta_Bowl on X/Instagram.