NCAA administrators voted Thursday to consolidate the student-athlete transfer window into a single, 10-day period in January. This proposed change, if finalized, would ditch the current system of two separate windows and substantially impact recruiting timelines.
College athletes looking to change schools will soon have a shorter,more concentrated window to make their moves.
- A single, 10-day transfer window in January is proposed.
- This would replace the current winter and spring transfer periods.
- December would become a recruiting dead period.
- Early offer dates for high school seniors are also being pushed back.
The NCAA oversight Committee gave its backing to a new model that would see the transfer portal open on Jan. 2 and remain open for 10 days. this proposal heads to the administrative committee for a final decision, due by Oct.1, to take effect for the january 2026 cycle.
What does the proposed single January transfer window mean for college football? This compressed timeframe, if approved, raises eyebrows due to its close proximity to the expanded 12-team College Football playoff. Imagine it: players could officially enter the portal less than 24 hours after the 2026 CFP quarterfinal games conclude on Jan. 2, 2026.
The 10-day window would also extend through the CFP semifinals, scheduled for Jan. 8-9, and wrap up a full week before the national championship game on Jan. 19. It’s worth noting that the existing two-window system already creates some overlap with the CFP, with the winter window opening before the playoff’s initial round.Athletes currently have another transfer chance in April after spring practices conclude.
This new 10-day period represents a significant reduction from the roughly 30 total days athletes currently have to enter their names into the transfer portal. That’s a tight squeeze for players and coaches alike.
Beyond the transfer portal, Thursday’s advice also calls for the entire month of december to be designated as a recruiting dead period. This means no in-person or off-campus recruiting visits would be allowed.
Additionally, the committee suggested pushing back the date student-athletes can receive written offers of financial aid or settlement benefits. The current Aug. 1 date would move to Nov. 15 of their senior year in high school.
