High school football opening day, playoff bracket sizes set. Who is playing, and when?
North Carolina’s high school football season will begin Aug. 22, and about 75 percent of the state’s schools could qualify for postseason play in football and other sports next season.
The N.C. High School Athletic Association’s board of directors has finalized sports calendars for 2025-26, setting the dates of the first practices, first games, playoffs and championships.
In addition, the NCHSAA’s Bylaw Committee is proposing that the organization use 48-team brackets in Classes 1A through 7A, and a 24-team bracket in Class 8A.
All of that is tied to the realignment and new classification system, which expanded member schools from four size classes to eight.
Each of the classes from 1A through 7A will have about 60 members, while 8A will have 32 members.
The NCHSAA’s Bylaw Committee said it picked the 48-team bracket size because it would give first-round byes to the top 16 schools and possibly limit the number of opening-round playoff mismatches.
“By granting the top 16 teams in each classification a first-round bye, we can ensure that initial matchups are more competitive,” the committee said in its proposal.
The proposal added that the 48-team bracket would address “past concerns about blowouts that detracted from the experience for athletes and schools.”
The committee said a 32-team bracket in 1A through 7A would be too small, while allowing all schools into the playoffs “would be too many.”
Under the four-classification system, the NCHSAA has allowed 64 teams into postseason play.
The 8A playoffs, with half the field of the other classes, would be one round shorter. The 8A brackets would give the top eight seeded teams first-round byes, while the other 16 teams square off.
The NCHSAA has not announced whether the 8A football playoffs will end a week ahead of the other classes, or whether there will be a one-week break between the end of the regular season and the start of 8A postseason play.
Also still undecided is a seeding system for postseason play. NCHSAA officials say they hope to have that ready soon.
Calendar approved
Approving the calendar was important to coaches and athletic directors, who now can draw up schedules for next year.
The 2025-26 athletic year will begin July 30, with the first practices for fall sports; and end May 30, the final day of playoffs in lacrosse, girls’ soccer, baseball and softball.
The 11-week football season will begin on the weekend of Aug. 22 and end Oct. 31.
Playoff seeding is set for Nov. 1, with playoffs to begin Nov. 7.
Additional rounds will be Nov. 14, 21, 28 and Dec. 5, with state championships Dec. 12 and 13.
That is essentially the same schedule planned for last fall, although Hurricane Helene’s impact forced a one-week extension of the season.
Here are the important dates for each of the sports seasons in 2025-26:
Fall sports
FOOTBALL
First practice: July 30
First scrimmage: Aug. 8
First game: Aug. 22
Playoff seeding: Nov. 1
Playoff dates: Nov. 7, 14, 21, 28, Dec. 5
Championships: Dec. 12-13
BOYS’ SOCCER
First practice: July 30
First game: Aug. 11
Playoff seeding: Oct. 31
Playoff dates: Nov. 3, 6, 10, 13, 18
Championships: Nov. 21-22
GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL
First practice: July 30
First match: Aug. 11
Playoff seeding: Oct. 16
Playoff dates: Oct. 18, 21, 23, 25, 28
Championships: Nov. 1
GIRLS’ TENNIS
First practice: July 30
First match: Aug. 11
Playoff seeding: Oct. 10 (team playoffs)
Playoff dates (teams): Oct. 13, 15, 20, 22, 28
Regionals (individual): Oct. 17-18
Championships: (individual) Oct. 24-25; (team) Nov. 1
GIRLS’ GOLF
First practice: July 30
First match: Aug. 11
Regional tournaments: Oct. 20-21
State tournaments: Oct. 27-28
CROSS COUNTRY
First practice: July 30
First meet: Aug. 11
Regional meets: Oct. 25
State meets: Nov. 1
Winter sports
BASKETBALL
First practice: Oct. 22 (schools that don’t play football); Oct. 29 (schools that play football)
First games: Nov. 3 (schools without football); Nov. 14 (schools with football)
Conference tournaments: Feb. 16-21
Playoff seeding: Feb. 21
Playoff dates: Feb. 24, 27, March 3, 6
Final Four: March 9-14
WRESTLING
First practice: Oct. 29
First meet: Nov. 10
Dual team playoff seeding: Jan. 29
Dual team playoff dates: Jan. 31, Feb. 4
Dual team championships: Feb. 7
Individual regionals: Feb. 6-7 (girls); Feb. 13-14 (boys)
Championships: Feb. 19-21
SWIMMING
First practice: Oct. 29
First meet: Nov. 10
Regional meets: Feb. 5-7
Championships: Feb. 11-14
INDOOR TRACK/FIELD
First practice: Oct. 29
First meet: Nov. 10
Championships: Feb. 11-14
Spring sports
BASEBALL
First practice: Feb. 16
First game: Feb. 25
Playoff seeding: May 4
Playoff dates: May 5, 8, 12, 15
Regionals: May 19-23
Championships: May 29-30
GIRLS’ SOFTBALL
First practice: Feb. 16
First game: Feb. 25
Playoff seeding: May 4
Playoff dates: May 5, 8, 12, 15
Regionals: May 19-23
Championships: May 29-30
GIRLS’ SOCCER
First practice: Feb. 16
First game: Feb. 25
Playoff seeding: May 8
Playoff dates: May 11, 14, 18, 21, 26
Championships: May 29-30
BOYS’, GIRLS’ LACROSSE
First practice: Feb. 16
First game: Feb. 25
Playoff seeding: May 8
Playoff dates: May 12, 15, 19, 22, 27
Championships: May 29-30
BOYS’ GOLF
First practice: Feb. 16
First match: Feb. 25
Regional tournaments: May 4-5
State tournaments: May 11-12
BOYS’ TENNIS
First practice: Feb. 16
First match: Feb. 25
Playoff seeding (dual team): April 24
Playoff dates (dual team): April 27, 29, May 4, 6, 12
Championships (dual team): May 16
Regionals (individual): May 1-2
Championships (individual): May 8-9
TRACK AND FIELD
First practice: Feb. 16
First meet: Feb. 25
Regionals: May 8-9
Championships: May 15-16