NAIA football national championship
The NAIA football national championship is decided by a postseason playoff system featuring the best National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics college football teams in the United States. Under sponsorship of the NAIA, the championship game has been played annually since 1956.
In 1970, NAIA football was divided into two divisions based on enrollment, Division I and Division II football national championship|Division II], with a championship game played in each division. In 1997, NAIA football was again consolidated back into one division. NAIA schools are allowed to offer 24 full varsity football scholarships which can be divided up as they wish. Junior varsity scholarship players do not count towards the total.
Texas A&I is still the most prolific program with seven NAIA championships, despite having been in NCAA Division II since 1980. Carroll College of Montana is the most successful team still playing at the NAIA level, with six national titles.
Grand View is the current champion, having defeated Keiser in the 2025 title game, 22–16.
Game name
Over the years, the NAIA championship games were played under a variety of names:- Aluminum Bowl
- Holiday Bowl
- Camellia Bowl
- Champion Bowl
- Apple Bowl
- Palm Bowl
Results
Champions
- NAIA Division II titles are not included in this list.
Active programs
Former programs
List of appearances by team
Current NAIA members
Qualified teams
- Teams in bold participated in the 2025 playoffs.
- Updated after the 2025 playoffs.
Not yet qualified
- Appalachian Athletic Conference – Bluefield, Kentucky Christian, Rio Grande
- Frontier Conference – Dakota State, Mayville State, Simpson
- Great Plains Athletic Conference – Briar Cliff, Mount Marty, Waldorf
- Heart of America Athletic Conference – Clarke, Culver–Stockton, Missouri Baptist, William Woods
- Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference – Saint Mary
- Mid-States Football Association – Defiance, Judson, Lawrence Tech, Madonna, Siena Heights
- Sooner Athletic Conference – Arkansas Baptist, Nelson, Texas College, Wayland Baptist
- Sun Conference – Ave Maria, Florida Memorial, Thomas, Warner, Webber International
Former NAIA members