Update to an earlier report: This article includes new information about a story we previously covered. Read our earlier report.
Atlanta is scheduled to host the SEC football championship for the final time on Dec. 5, 2026. The game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is set for 4 p.m.; the 2026 edition will be the last as a new College Football Playoff format brings an end to Power Four conference championship games.
College football leaders announced Monday that the playoff will expand from 12 teams to 24 next season. The announcement followed an agreement to revise the playoff media contract and add 11 games.
In the new format, automatic berths will go to the champions of the four major conferences and the highest-ranked Group of Six champion. A selection panel will choose the other 19 teams. The eight highest seeds will get first-round byes, while the first two rounds will be played on campus, starting the second weekend in December.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said the expanded competition is intended to open more opportunities for student-athletes and schools, recognize strong performance and give fans access to more on-campus playoff games.
Atlanta’s postseason role may continue through the Peach Bowl. David Epps, the bowl’s president and CEO, said its focus is on quarterfinal and semifinal games and keeping the city involved in determining the national champion.
The SEC introduced its championship game in 1992 after expanding to 12 teams and dividing into East and West divisions. Birmingham hosted the first two games; Atlanta became the annual host in 1994. Florida’s 24-23 win over previously unbeaten Alabama marked the game’s Atlanta debut.
The championship moved to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017, where Georgia beat Auburn 28-7 in the first SEC final at the venue. More recent Atlanta games included Georgia’s 22-19 overtime win over Texas in 2024 and its 28-7 victory over Alabama in 2025.
Marcus Jones
News Now Georgia
