The President signed an executive order directing federal officials to seek an exclusive broadcast window for the Army-Navy football game. The document, published in the Federal Register on March 25, 2026, establishes a United States policy that no other college football game be broadcast in direct conflict with the event.
The order, signed March 20, 2026, says the expansion of postseason college football threatens the second Saturday in December, which is historically set aside for the game. According to the text, the matchup has stood as a “symbol of excellence and the American spirit” for over a century. The order states that scheduling conflicts reduce national attention on military academies and interfere with a morale-building event that is of vital interest to the Department of War.
To implement the policy, the order directs the Secretary of Commerce and the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission to coordinate with the playoff committee, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, other government agencies, and broadcast partners. The stated goal is to establish a window during which no other college football game is broadcast.
Additionally, the order directs the FCC chairman to consider reviewing the public interest obligations of broadcast licensees. The review would determine if those obligations require the Army-Navy game to remain a national service event.
The document notes that it does not create any enforceable rights against the United States. According to the text, the Department of War will bear the publication costs for the order.