College football could OK new transfer rule: What you need to know

College football's power brokers could bring about another change to the transfer portal in the very near future.

We could see another big change to the college football transfer portal in the near future. / © Joshua L. Jones via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Another big change to the college football transfer portal could be on the horizon when the NCAA Division I Council holds an emergency meeting later this month, according to reports.

The council could adopt new emergency legislation to introduce a new transfer rule that would let undergraduate athletes transfer and play immediately if they meet academic requirements.

The news was first reported by The Athletic.

The new rule would not place any limits on the number of times an athlete can transfer. They would still have two transfer windows, winter and spring, and would not be allowed to transfer in the middle of the year and play for a second school in the same season.

Related: College football's spring transfer window is approaching

Before, the NCAA's one-time transfer rules let athletes play immediately at the first school they transferred to, but they had to sit out a year if they transferred again, or else apply to the NCAA for a special waiver to compete right away.

More: College football transfer team rankings for 2024

But in January, the U.S. Department of Justice joined a lawsuit against the NCAA's transfer rules, arguing that any limitation on transfers violate federal antitrust law.

The NCAA Division I Council will meet on April 17-18 to discuss the proposal.

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