Per IHSA:
The countdown to Friday night lights is officially on.
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA), in partnership with MaxPreps, has released the complete 2026 Illinois high school football schedules, giving teams and fans their first look at the road to the state championships.
The 2026 season will be one of the most significant in recent IHSA football history as the state debuts its expanded playoff format. Following a vote by IHSA member schools last December, the football postseason will grow from 256 playoff qualifiers to 384 teams, marking the first expansion of the football playoffs since 1985.
Instead of 32 teams qualifying in each of the eight classes, 48 teams will now earn a postseason berth. To maintain consistency throughout the bracket, the IHSA has also renamed the playoff rounds to Opening Round, First Round, Second Round, Quarterfinals, and Semifinals before culminating in the State Finals.
The regular season begins with Week 1 games on August 20-22 and concludes after nine weeks of play. The 384 playoff qualifiers will be announced during a statewide live selection show at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 17.
2026 IHSA Football Playoff Schedule
- Opening Round: October 23-24
- First Round: October 30-31
- Second Round: November 6-7
- Quarterfinals: November 13-14
- Semifinals: November 20-21
- State Finals: November 27-28
The season will once again conclude at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal, where eight state champions will be crowned over Thanksgiving weekend.
With schedules now available, programs across Illinois can begin preparing for another season of Friday night football, this time with more teams than ever before having the opportunity to compete for a state championship.
Fans can now view their favorite school’s schedule and start planning for the 2026 season as anticipation continues to build across the state.