Las Vegas will host the 2027 College Football Playoff national championship game.

The CFP made the announcement Friday, saying the title game will be played Monday, Jan. 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority celebrated the news by releasing a video of Strip headliner Shin Lim performing an illusion at the iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. Lim changed the face of the sign to revel a new message welcoming the College Football Playoff National Championship to Las Vegas.

“Las Vegas has shown the world they have amazing venues and boundless energy to host an event like the College Football Playoff national championship in spectacular fashion,” said Rich Clark, executive director of the CFP.

“Sin City” will become the third area in the Pacific time zone to host the title game, joining the Bay Area (2019) and Los Angeles (2023).

“We hosted a Super Bowl (in 2024), and every sponsor, every team executive, every league executive, everybody under the sun said, ‘Hands down, the best city that’s ever hosted a Super Bowl,’ ” Las Vegas Bowl executive director John Saccenti said last month. “Our city is built for it. We have 165,000 hotel rooms. Every one of them has massive convention space, so everybody can do their parties, every sponsor can do their thing. We have nine Las Vegas Strip properties within walking distance to the stadium.

“You can get non-stop flights from anywhere into here, restaurant options galore. We can do it better than anybody. It’s an absolute no-brainer.”

Baseball

Nationals agree with Ogasaware on two-year deal >> Left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara and the Washington Nationals agreed Friday to a $3.5 million, two-year contract.

Ogasawara gets a $1.5 million salary this season and $2 million in 2026.

The 27-year-old was made available to Major League Baseball teams by the Central League’s Chunichi Dragons on Dec. 10 had had until Friday to agree to a contract. Washington will pay the Dragons a $700,000 release fee.

Ogasawara was 5-11 with a 3.12 ERA in 24 games and 144 1/3 innings last season, striking out 82 and walking 22.

Hockey

Utah Hockey Club’s bid for ‘Yetis’ name hits snag >> The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has refused a request by the NHL’s Utah Hockey Club to trademark the name Utah Yetis.

The USPTO issued a refusal Jan. 9, citing the “likelihood of confusion” with other notable brands using the name, such as Yeti Coolers. KSL.com first reported news of the refusal earlier this week.

The team has three months to file a response to what is described as a “nonfinal office action” to keep the application alive, while it can also request a three-month extension.

The application had sought to use the name for apparel such as T-shirts, jerseys, sweatshirts, sweatpants, hats, scarves, gloves and leggings.

Soccer

Greece soccer great Domazos dies >> Greece soccer great Mimis Domazos, who captained the Panathinaikos team at the 1971 European Cup final, has died. He was 83.

Panathinaikos did not specify on Friday the cause of death. Greek media reported Domazos was taken to a hospital on Wednesday, his 83rd birthday, after suffering cardiac arrest.

“The emblematic ‘General’ of our club has passed to eternity,” the Athens club said. “His feats and legacy will remind future generations that he was the best of the best, an eternal role model, the most beloved captain, the player nobody wanted as their rival.”

Domazos played 20 seasons for Panathinaikos, 13 as captain, and won nine league titles.

Golf

Riviera tournament moving to San Diego due to la wildfires >> The PGA Tour is relocating the Genesis Invitational out of wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles, announcing Friday it will be held Feb. 13-16 on the South course at Torrey Pines in San Diego with an emphasis on relief initiatives for victims of the fires.

That gives Torrey Pines two tournaments in a span of four weeks.

The tour said the $20 million signature event hosted by Tiger Woods would return to Riviera Country Club next year.

Riviera was not damaged, but it is located in the Pacific Palisades community that has been devasted by fires that have killed 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures in Greater Los Angeles since Jan. 7.

Boxing

Promoter of Japanese boxing star wants Ohtani-style love >> Japanese boxing superstar Naoya Inoue is headed to the United States after another devastating knockout.

His promoter wants Americans to cherish Inoue as much as they do Shohei Ohtani.

The unbeaten Inoue — nicknamed “The Monster” — knocked out overmatched South Korean opponent Ye Joon Kim in the fourth round in Tokyo on Friday to remain the undisputed super bantamweight champion.

It was Inoue’s third successful defense of his super bantamweight titles and took his record to 29-0, with 26 KOs.

Bob Arum, Inoue’s promoter at Top Rank, confirmed afterward that Inoue’s next fight will be in Las Vegas. His last fight outside Japan was in Vegas, when he beat Michael Dasmarinas in June 2021.