NCHSAA releases final 2026 football state playoff brackets
HighSchoolOT • • sports
Key Points:
- The N.C. High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) released the final state playoff brackets for the 2026 football championships on Saturday, along with updated RPIs and final records.
- The seeding process began early Saturday morning with NCHSAA staff and a North Carolina Coaches Association representative present to conduct necessary draws for odd-numbered qualifying fields.
- The first round of playoffs is scheduled for Friday, November 6, with 16 teams in classifications 2A through 7A and eight teams in 1A and 8A receiving first-round byes; state championships will be held December 10-12 at college venues.
- Schools can review preliminary brackets and contact NCHSAA with questions before brackets become final, and fans can access brackets and updates via HighSchoolOT’s live pages and app.
- The East-West regional split may require a random drawing if there is an odd number of teams, particularly in the 1A and 2A classifications, to determine placement of the middle team.
