American Conference teams are guaranteed at least eight bowl appearances in 2026 as part of the conference’s postseason lineup, which began in the 2020 season.

The American champion would play in the College Football Playoff if it is ranked among the five highest-ranked conference champions by the CFP selection committee.

As part of the 2026 season, The American will send teams to the Freedom Mortgage Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland, and the Wasabi Fenway Bowl in Boston, facing opponents from the Atlantic Coast Conference in those matchups.  In the 2026 season, The American will additionally fill six spots in ESPN Events games: the Birmingham Bowl, the Cure Bowl, the Gasparilla Bowl, the Boca Raton Bowl, the Frisco Football Classic, the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, the Myrtle Beach Bowl, the Salute to Veterans Bowl.

Aside the from the eight primary bowl affiliations in place for the 2026 season, the American has a secondary agreement with the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

2026 American Conference Bowl Lineup Dec. 28 | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium | Annapolis, Maryland


 
IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl
Dec. 15 | 5:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
Cramton Bowl | Montgomery, Alabama

Frisco Football Classic
Dec. 15 | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN
Ford Center at the Star | Frisco, Texas

Boca Raton Bowl
Dec. 18 | 11 a.m. | ESPN
Flagler Credit Union Stadium | Boca Raton, Fla.

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Dec. 18 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
Raymond James Stadium | Tampa, Florida

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Dec. 21 | 11 a.m. | ESPN
Brooks Stadium | Conway, South Carolina

StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Dec. 22 | 5 p.m. | ESPN
Acrisure Bounce House | Orlando, Fla.

Isleta New Mexico Bowl
Dec. 24 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
Unviersity Stadium | Albuquerque, N.M.

JLab Birmingham Bowl
Dec. 29 | 2 p.m. | ESPN
Protective Stadium| Birmingham, Alabama

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Jan. 2 | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
Gerald J. Ford Stadium | Dallas, Texas