Official Florida High School Football Playoff Brackets: FHSAA Matchups, Open Division and Bracket Schedules

The road to a Florida high school football state championship officially takes shape as the Florida High School Athletic Association unveils its 2026 playoff brackets, introducing a new postseason format that will change how the state's top teams compete for championships.

For the first time, Florida will crown an Open Division football champion, with eight of the state's highest-rated eligible programs competing in a separate tournament regardless of school classification.

The new championship joins the six traditional FHSAA classifications, which run from Class 1A through Class 6A.

The 2026 postseason also includes separate Independent League and Florida Invitational Tournament brackets, giving additional programs an opportunity to compete for championships.

The traditional state championship playoffs begin Friday, Nov. 13, with regional quarterfinal games across Classes 1A–6A. Each classification features a 32-team tournament divided into four regions.

The Open Division follows a different format, with eight teams divided into two pools of four. Each team plays three pool games before the top two teams in each pool advance to the state semifinals.

The postseason concludes Dec. 9-12 at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University in Miami, where the six classification champions and inaugural Open Division champion will be crowned.

Here are the official Florida high school football playoff brackets and championship dates for every FHSAA postseason classification.

Florida Open Division High School Football Playoff Bracket

The biggest change to Florida high school football in 2026 is the introduction of the Open Division.

Instead of competing for championships within their traditional classifications, eight of the state's highest-rated eligible teams will enter a separate tournament designed to determine an overall state champion.

The Open Division uses a pool-play format rather than beginning with single-elimination games.

The eight qualifiers are divided into two groups based on their postseason seeds.

Pool A consists of seeds No. 1, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 8, while Pool B includes seeds No. 2, No. 3, No. 6 and No. 7.

Each team plays the other three members of its pool once. The top two finishers from each pool advance to the state semifinals.

Pool play begins Nov. 13 and continues Nov. 20 and Nov. 27.

The Open Division semifinals are scheduled for Dec. 3-5 at The Range at H.G. Morse Stadium in Sumterville, with the championship game scheduled for Dec. 12 in Miami.

The format creates a different challenge for participating teams, which must navigate three games against elite competition before reaching the single-elimination semifinals.

VIEW THE OFFICIAL FLORIDA OPEN DIVISION PLAYOFF BRACKET

Florida Class 6A High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 6A features Florida's largest schools and some of the state's most recognizable football programs.

The classification includes programs such as Venice, Lake Mary, Seminole, Vero Beach, Edgewater and Miami Palmetto, although the new Open Division could move some of the state's highest-rated teams into a separate championship race.

The Class 6A tournament features 32 teams divided into four eight-team regions.

The regional quarterfinals begin Nov. 13, followed by the regional semifinals Nov. 20 and regional championships Nov. 27.

The four regional champions advance to the state semifinals Dec. 4, with the winners meeting for the Class 6A state championship in Miami.

VIEW THE OFFICIAL FLORIDA CLASS 6A PLAYOFF BRACKET

Florida Class 5A High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 5A features a 32-team championship field, with eight qualifiers competing in each of four regions.

The opening round begins Nov. 13, giving teams an opportunity to advance toward the regional championship games on Thanksgiving weekend.

The regional winners advance to the state semifinals Dec. 4.

As in every traditional classification, the introduction of the Open Division could change the championship landscape by moving highly rated teams out of their regular classifications.

That creates opportunities for programs that might otherwise have faced those teams during the regional or state championship rounds.

VIEW THE OFFICIAL FLORIDA CLASS 5A PLAYOFF BRACKET

Florida Class 4A High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 4A follows the same regional tournament structure, with 32 teams competing for one state championship.

The postseason begins Nov. 13, with regional quarterfinal matchups determining which 16 teams advance to the second round.

The field will be reduced to eight teams following the Nov. 20 regional semifinals, with four regional champions emerging Nov. 27.

The state semifinals are scheduled for Dec. 4.

The two surviving teams will advance to the Class 4A state championship at Pitbull Stadium in Miami.

VIEW THE OFFICIAL FLORIDA CLASS 4A PLAYOFF BRACKET

Florida Class 3A High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 3A features another 32-team field, with regional champions advancing to the state semifinals.

The opening round begins Nov. 13, followed by regional semifinals Nov. 20 and regional finals Nov. 27.

The final four teams compete Dec. 4 for the opportunity to reach the state championship game.

The tournament provides a path to a state title for programs from throughout Florida, with each regional bracket determining one semifinalist.

VIEW THE OFFICIAL FLORIDA CLASS 3A PLAYOFF BRACKET

Florida Class 2A High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 2A features a competitive field of smaller schools chasing a state championship.

The classification includes 40 schools under the FHSAA's revised 2026-27 alignment, with 32 postseason berths available in the state championship tournament.

Like the larger classifications, the tournament is divided into four regions.

Regional quarterfinals begin Nov. 13, followed by regional semifinals Nov. 20 and regional championships Nov. 27.

The four regional champions advance to the Dec. 4 state semifinals.

VIEW THE OFFICIAL FLORIDA CLASS 2A PLAYOFF BRACKET

Florida Class 1A High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 1A has undergone a significant change for the 2026 season.

The FHSAA combined its former Rural classification with Class 1A, creating a single championship classification for schools with enrollments below 500 students.

The revised classification includes 52 schools, bringing together programs that previously competed in separate postseason tournaments.

The new structure means the Class 1A championship will include schools that previously pursued Rural and Class 1A titles independently.

The tournament begins Nov. 13 with regional quarterfinal games, followed by regional semifinals Nov. 20 and regional championships Nov. 27.

The state semifinals are scheduled for Dec. 4, with the championship game taking place in Miami during the Dec. 9-12 state finals.

VIEW THE OFFICIAL FLORIDA CLASS 1A PLAYOFF BRACKET

Florida Independent League Football Playoff Brackets

The FHSAA also maintains a separate postseason championship structure for schools competing in its Independent League.

The 2026 tournament includes two pools, identified as Independent League Pool A and Independent League Pool B.

Those competitions operate separately from the traditional Classes 1A–6A state championship series and the new Open Division.

The Independent League championship is scheduled during the Dec. 3-5 championship weekend at The Range at H.G. Morse Stadium in Sumterville.

VIEW THE OFFICIAL FLORIDA INDEPENDENT LEAGUE PLAYOFF BRACKETS

Florida Invitational Tournament (FIT) Football Playoff Brackets

The Florida Invitational Tournament provides another postseason opportunity for schools outside the traditional state championship bracket.

The 2026 FIT competition is divided into two groups: Classes 1A–3A and Classes 4A–6A.

Both tournaments conclude during the Dec. 3-5 championship weekend at The Range at H.G. Morse Stadium in Sumterville.

The FIT championships are separate from the traditional FHSAA state championship series.

VIEW THE OFFICIAL FLORIDA INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT BRACKETS

When Do the 2026 Florida High School Football Playoffs Begin?

The traditional FHSAA state championship playoffs begin Friday, Nov. 13.

Classes 1A–6A open with regional quarterfinals, while the new Open Division begins its first round of pool play.

The regional semifinals follow Nov. 20, with regional championship games scheduled Nov. 27.

The state semifinals for Classes 1A–6A are scheduled for Dec. 4.

The Open Division will complete its three rounds of pool play Nov. 13, Nov. 20 and Nov. 27 before holding its semifinals during the Dec. 3-5 championship weekend.

Where Are the 2026 Florida High School Football State Championships?

The six traditional classification championships and inaugural Open Division championship will be played Dec. 9-12 at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University in Miami.

The Open Division championship is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 12.

The Independent League and Florida Invitational Tournament championships will be held Dec. 3-5 at The Range at H.G. Morse Stadium in Sumterville.

What's Next in the Florida High School Football Playoffs?

With the postseason brackets released, Florida's championship contenders can begin preparing for their opening matchups.

The traditional state championship series will feature 32-team tournaments in each of Classes 1A–6A, while the new Open Division brings eight elite programs together for a separate championship competition.

The first games are scheduled for Nov. 13, beginning a monthlong journey toward the state championship games in December.

High School On SI will continue updating the official Florida high school football playoff brackets with scores, upcoming matchups and championship information throughout the postseason.

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