Big Changes Coming to Illinois IHSA Football Playoffs

IHSA Football Expands Playoff Field to 384 Teams

Some pretty big changes for IHSA football came down today as the playoff field will be expanding from 256 teams to 384.

Eight Classes Remain, But Each Class Gets Bigger

There will still be eight classes, but each class will now include 48 teams. To accommodate the larger playoff field, the regular season will now begin one week earlier. That also means teams will start practicing on the second Monday of August.

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New 2026 IHSA Football Practice and Game Dates

For the coming season, the first practice will be on August 10, and the first game will be on Thursday, August 20. What had been known as Week Zero scrimmages until now will no longer exist and will be eliminated.

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IHSA Moves No Contact Week to the Fourth of July

Another change instituted by the IHSA is its "No Contact Week." Typically, it was the first week of August. That is now changing to the fourth of July, and that means the team cannot practice, hold open gym, conduct conditioning, or weight train during that time. Many football families plan vacations around these planned "No Contact Weeks."  If you had made plans for 2026, it looks like you may need to start shifting things around for next summer.

Over 90% of IHSA member schools voted on the change; 386 approved, 297 opposed, and 44 abstained.