Welcome to our 2026 FCS football schedule hub, your home for the Football Championship Subdivision season: all 13 conferences and 128 teams, how to watch, the 24-team playoff, and the national championship. This is the first year we are covering FCS in depth, and we will keep adding printable schedules, the playoff bracket, and marquee matchups as the season approaches.
2026 FCS Season: Key Facts
- Teams: 128 across 13 conferences.
- Regular season: kicks off in late August 2026.
- Playoff: 24-team bracket, 16 seeds, top 8 seeds get a first-round bye.
- Playoff sites: higher seeds host on campus through the semifinals.
- National Championship: January 11, 2027, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
- TV and streaming: most FCS games stream on ESPN+, with select games on ESPN networks and conference partners.
The 2026 FCS Season Structure
FCS is the second tier of NCAA Division I football, and unlike the FBS, it crowns its champion on the field through a 24-team playoff rather than a selection-committee bracket. In 2026, 128 programs compete across 13 conferences, from powers like South Dakota State, Montana State, and Montana to the automatic-qualifier winner of every league. The regular season opens in late August, conference races run through November, and the playoff field is revealed on Selection Sunday.
2026 FCS Conference Realignment
The FCS map shifted again for 2026. North Dakota State and Sacramento State both moved up to the FBS, while West Florida joined the FCS from Division II. Several conferences changed too: the Western Athletic Conference rebranded as the United Athletic Conference (UAC), and the OVC-Big South Football Association became the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). In team moves, Southern Utah and Utah Tech joined the Big Sky, Villanova and William and Mary joined the Patriot League, and Sacred Heart joined the CAA. We break the full picture down in our FCS conferences and realignment guide.
How the 2026 FCS Playoff Works
The FCS playoff is a 24-team, single-elimination bracket. The top 16 teams are seeded, and the top 8 seeds earn a first-round bye straight into the second round. Seeds 9 through 16 host first-round games, and higher seeds continue to host on campus all the way through the semifinals. The winners meet for the national championship on January 11, 2027 at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, the first of two straight title games Nashville will host. Our printable FCS playoff bracket lets you fill in the field as it is announced.
How to Watch FCS Football in 2026
The large majority of 2026 FCS games stream on ESPN+, with a handful of marquee matchups on ESPN networks and additional games on conference streaming partners. Kickoff times and networks are set closer to each week. For the top-division picture, see our 2026 FBS college football schedule, and check the official FCS standings as the season unfolds.
2026 FCS Coverage and Printables
- 2026 FCS Playoff Bracket (free printable 24-team bracket)
- 2026 FCS vs FBS Games Schedule
- 2026 FCS over FBS Upset Watch
2026 FCS Conference Schedules
Week-by-week conference schedules with a free printable standings tracker for each league. More conferences are being added.
2026 FCS Team Schedules
Full season schedules for marquee FCS programs, each with a free printable one-pager.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many teams and conferences are in FCS for 2026?
There are 128 FCS teams competing across 13 conferences in 2026, after North Dakota State and Sacramento State moved up to the FBS and West Florida joined from Division II.
How does the FCS playoff work?
The FCS playoff is a 24-team bracket with 16 seeded teams. The top 8 seeds receive a first-round bye, seeds 9 through 16 host first-round games, and higher seeds host on campus through the semifinals.
When and where is the 2026 FCS national championship?
The 2026 FCS national championship is scheduled for January 11, 2027 at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
What is the difference between FCS and FBS?
FCS is the second tier of Division I football. The biggest differences are the postseason and scholarships: the FCS decides its champion through a 24-team playoff with campus-site games, while the FBS uses the 12-team College Football Playoff and bowl games.
Where can I watch FCS football?
Most 2026 FCS games stream on ESPN+, with select games on ESPN networks and conference streaming partners.
2026 CAA and SWAC Team Schedules (Printable)
- 2026 Bryant Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Campbell Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Elon Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Hampton Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Maine Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Monmouth Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 New Hampshire Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 North Carolina A&T Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Rhode Island Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Sacred Heart Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Stony Brook Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Towson Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 UAlbany Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
- 2026 Mississippi Valley State Football Schedule (Printable PDF)
2026 Ivy League and MEAC Team Schedules (Printable)
- 2026 Harvard football schedule
- 2026 Yale football schedule
- 2026 Princeton football schedule
- 2026 Penn football schedule
- 2026 Dartmouth football schedule
- 2026 Brown football schedule
- 2026 Columbia football schedule
- 2026 Cornell football schedule
- 2026 Delaware State football schedule
- 2026 Howard football schedule
- 2026 Morgan State football schedule
- 2026 North Carolina Central football schedule
- 2026 Norfolk State football schedule
- 2026 South Carolina State football schedule
2026 SoCon, Southland, UAC, OVC, Pioneer, and NEC Team Schedules (Printable)
SoCon
- 2026 Chattanooga football schedule
- 2026 The Citadel football schedule
- 2026 East Tennessee State football schedule
- 2026 Furman football schedule
- 2026 Mercer football schedule
- 2026 Samford football schedule
- 2026 VMI football schedule
- 2026 Western Carolina football schedule
- 2026 Wofford football schedule
- 2026 Tennessee Tech football schedule
Southland
- 2026 East Texas A&M football schedule
- 2026 Houston Christian football schedule
- 2026 Incarnate Word football schedule
- 2026 Lamar football schedule
- 2026 McNeese football schedule
- 2026 Nicholls football schedule
- 2026 Northwestern State football schedule
- 2026 Southeastern Louisiana football schedule
- 2026 Stephen F. Austin football schedule
- 2026 UTRGV football schedule
UAC
- 2026 Abilene Christian football schedule
- 2026 Austin Peay football schedule
- 2026 Central Arkansas football schedule
- 2026 Eastern Kentucky football schedule
- 2026 North Alabama football schedule
- 2026 Tarleton State football schedule
- 2026 West Florida football schedule
- 2026 West Georgia football schedule
OVC
- 2026 Charleston Southern football schedule
- 2026 Eastern Illinois football schedule
- 2026 Gardner-Webb football schedule
- 2026 Lindenwood football schedule
- 2026 Southeast Missouri State football schedule
- 2026 Tennessee State football schedule
- 2026 UT Martin football schedule
- 2026 Western Illinois football schedule
Pioneer Football League
- 2026 Butler football schedule
- 2026 Davidson football schedule
- 2026 Dayton football schedule
- 2026 Drake football schedule
- 2026 Marist football schedule
- 2026 Morehead State football schedule
- 2026 Presbyterian football schedule
- 2026 San Diego football schedule
- 2026 St. Thomas football schedule
- 2026 Stetson football schedule
- 2026 Valparaiso football schedule
NEC
- 2026 Central Connecticut football schedule
- 2026 Duquesne football schedule
- 2026 LIU football schedule
- 2026 Mercyhurst football schedule
- 2026 New Haven football schedule
- 2026 Robert Morris football schedule
- 2026 Stonehill football schedule
- 2026 Wagner football schedule
