NCAA approves rule change to cap athlete eligibility at 5 years

Field Level Media|published: Tue 23rd June, 17:08 2026

May 15, 2026; Gainesville, FL, USA; The NCAA logo is painted on the field before the game between the Florida Gators and Florida A&M Rattlers at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The NCAA's Division I cabinet, in a vote held Tuesday, unanimously approved changing its eligibility rules to a new model that gives all Div. I athletes five years of eligibility and eliminates all redshirts.

The five-year clock implemented in the new format -- referred to as the age-based eligibility model by the NCAA -- will start ticking for athletes once they turn 19 or enroll in college (whichever happens first). The format won't become official until the Div. I cabinet finishes its meeting on Wednesday.

The change seeks to curb the medical redshirt years and eligibility waivers that have become rampant in college sports as players seek sixth and even seventh years of eligibility to play college sports well into their mid-20s.

The rule will affect all collegiate athletes who have eligibility remaining after the 2025-26 academic season. It excludes athletes whose eligibility expired after four seasons of competition this past season without the use of a redshirt, a decision that is expected to be quickly challenged in court by a number of cases according to NIL lawyer Darren Heitner.

--Field Level Media