There are 128 NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) football teams competing in the 2026 season, spread across 13 conferences and a small number of independent programs.
The FCS is one of two subdivisions of NCAA Division I football, alongside the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). While the FBS includes programs such as Alabama, Ohio State and Texas, the FCS is home to teams such as Montana State, South Dakota State and North Dakota.
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With the 2026 FCS playoffs approaching, here's a breakdown of the subdivision's teams, conferences and postseason format.
How Many Teams Are In FCS Football In 2026?
There are 128 FCS football teams in 2026.
Those programs compete across 13 conferences, along with a small number of independent teams that do not belong to a football conference.
Conference realignment has changed the FCS landscape in recent years, with some schools moving to the FBS and others transitioning into Division I.
Among the subdivision's most successful programs is defending national champion Montana State.
How Many Conferences Are In The FCS?
There are 13 FCS football conferences in 2026.
The conferences are:
- Big Sky Conference
- Ohio Valley Conference (OVC)
- Coastal Athletic Association (CAA)
- Ivy League
- Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
- Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)
- Northeast Conference (NEC)
- Patriot League
- Pioneer Football League
- Southern Conference (SoCon)
- Southland Conference
- Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)
- United Athletic Conference (UAC)
Not every FCS program belongs to a conference, and not every conference participates in the NCAA playoff bracket.
How Many FCS Teams Make The Playoffs?
A total of 24 teams qualify for the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship.
The 2026 playoff field consists of 11 automatic qualifiers and 13 at-large selections.
Here's how the playoff format works:
- 24 total teams: 11 automatic bids and 13 at-large bids.
- 16 seeded teams: The selection committee seeds the top 16 programs.
- 8 first-round byes: The top eight seeds advance directly to the second round.
- Single elimination: Teams must win each round to advance toward the national championship.
The 2026 FCS playoff bracket will be announced Sunday, Nov. 22, with first-round games scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 28.
The season concludes with the FCS National Championship on Jan. 11, 2027, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
What Is The Difference Between FCS And FBS Football?
Both the FCS and FBS compete at the NCAA Division I level, but they have different postseason formats, scholarship rules and roster structures.
The biggest difference is how they determine a national champion.
FCS football uses a 24-team NCAA championship bracket, while FBS football uses the College Football Playoff and a separate bowl system.
FBS programs generally have larger football budgets, but FCS teams regularly face FBS opponents during the regular season.
In 2026, FCS programs have already picked up wins over FBS opponents, including Montana State defeating Nevada and Tarleton State beating Bowling Green.
How Can I Watch College Football On FloCollege In 2026?
Fans can watch FCS, Division II and Division III college football games live and on demand on FloCollege throughout the 2026 season.
Visit the FloCollege football schedule for upcoming games, kickoff times and streaming information.
What College Football Games Are On FloCollege?
FloCollege streams FCS, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III college football games throughout the 2026 season.
The schedule changes each week. Fans can view the latest FloCollege football schedule for upcoming matchups and streaming information.
Where Can I Follow FloCollege Football?
Follow FloCollege Football for news, rankings, scores, highlights and schedules throughout the season.
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