The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced on April 23 the new divisional breakdowns and playoff regions for the 2026 high school football season. The announcement comes as 708 schools are set to participate in 11-man football, with the regular season beginning the week of August 17.
The updated divisions reflect anticipated school consolidations within Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Youngstown City School District, which may lead to some schools being moved into higher divisions. Enrollment data from new or consolidated schools will be collected by September 10, potentially resulting in further changes. Schools also have a two-week window starting Monday to opt up to Division I under OHSAA bylaw 2-1-1.
A total of 37 schools have moved up a division from their previous assignments due to the start of a new enrollment cycle for the 2026-27 school year and competitive balance considerations. Teams are allowed up to thirteen days of practice without pads during summer starting May 15, with an additional five days permitted from July 15 for acclimatization purposes. There is no limit on physical fitness and conditioning workouts during summer.
The OHSAA has detailed that Division I will include teams with adjusted enrollments of more than 601 students, while other divisions are set based on enrollment ranges down to Division VII for schools with fewer than or equal to148 students. Key dates include practices beginning August 1, playoffs starting October 30, and state championships scheduled for December at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association conducts championship tournaments in twenty-four sports across Ohio’s public and private high schools according to its official website. The organization promotes sportsmanship, citizenship, character development through athletics according to its official website, provides scholarships annually according to its official website, collaborates with educational organizations statewide according to its official website, supports member schools’ interscholastic activities according to its official website, emphasizes ethics through its motto ‘Respect the Game’ according to its official website, and serves as the governing entity since being established in1907 according to its official website.
Broader implications of these changes highlight ongoing efforts by OHSAA toward fair competition among member schools statewide while continuing their mission of fostering student growth through athletics.
