The complete schedule for the 2026 Illinois High School Association football playoffs, listed class-by-class and in bracket order will be released on Saturday, Oct. 17. Games are at the home of the better seed.
The full list of playoff qualifiers is also included below.
Illinois high school football championship games are scheduled for Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28.
2026 IHSA football playoff bracket, schedule
2026 IHSA Class 1A football bracket scores, schedule
North half
Opening-round games
- (17) Orr (5-3) at (16) Galena (5-4)
- (24) Morrison (2-7) at (9) Abingdon-Avon (7-2)
- (20) Princeville (3-6) at (13) Ottawa Marquette (6-3)
- (21) Bureau Valley (3-6) at (12) Dwight (6-3)
- (18) Orion (4-5) at (15) LeRoy (5-4)
- (23) Momence (3-6) at (10) Lena-Winslow (6-3)
- (19) Tremont (4-5) at (14) Newman Central Catholic (5-4)
- (22) Monmouth United (3-6) at (11) Fulton (6-3)
Bye teams
- (1) Heyworth (9-0)
- (2) Stockton (8-1)
- (3) Rockridge (8-1)
- (4) Clifton Central (8-1)
- (5) Annawan-Wethersfield (8-1)
- (6) Stark County (7-2)
- (7) Forreston (7-2)
- (8) Fisher (7-2)
First-round winners vs. bye teams
- Winner of Orr/Galena at (1) Heyworth (9-0)
- Winner of Orion/LeRoy at (2) Stockton (8-1)
- Winner of Tremont/Newman Central Catholic at (3) Rockridge (8-1)
- Winner of Princeville/Ottawa Marquette at (4) Clifton Central (8-1)
- Winner of Bureau Valley/Dwight at (5) Annawan-Wethersfield (8-1)
- Winner of Monmouth United/Fulton at (6) Stark County (7-2)
- Winner of Lena-Winslow/Momence at (7) Forreston (7-2)
- Winner of Morrison/Abingdon-Avon at (8) Fisher (7-2)
South half
Opening-round games
- (17) Athens (4-5) at (16) Carrollton (5-4)
- (24) Pleasant Hill (2-7) at (9) Oakwood (6-3)
- (20) Triopia (3-6) at (13) Havana (6-3)
- (21) Sesser-Valier (3-6) at (12) Winchester West Central (6-3)
- (18) Red Hill (4-5) at (15) Cumberland (5-4)
- (23) Dupo (3-6) at (10) Villa Grove (6-3)
- (19) Nokomis (4-5) at (14) Carlyle (6-3)
- (22) Casey-Westfield (3-6) at (11) South Fulton (6-3)
Bye teams
- (1) Brown County (9-0)
- (2) A.L.A.H. (8-1)
- (3) Calhoun (8-1)
- (4) Sullivan (8-1)
- (5) Camp Point Central (8-1)
- (6) Tuscola (7-2)
- (7) Salt Fork (7-2)
- (8) Greenfield-Northwestern (7-2)
First round games
- Winner of Oakwood/Pleasant Hill at (8) Greenfield-Northwestern (7-2)
- Winner of Athens/Carrollton at (1) Brown County (9-0)
- Winner of Red Hill/Cumberland at (2) A.L.A.H. (8-1)
- Winner of Nokomis/Carlyle at (3) Calhoun (8-1)
- Winner of Triopia/Havana at (4) Sullivan (8-1)
- Winner of Sesser-Valier/Winchester West Central at (5) Camp Point Central (8-1)
- Winner of Casey-Westfield/South Fulton at (6) Tuscola (7-2)
- Winner of Villa Grove/Dupo at (7) Salt Fork (7-2)
2026 IHSA Class 2A football bracket scores, schedule
Class 2A Opening round pairingswill be released at 9:07 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.
2026 IHSA Class 3A football bracket scores, schedule
Class 3A Opening round pairingswill be released at 9:14 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.
2026 IHSA Class 4A football bracket scores, schedule
Class 4A opening round pairingswill be released at 9:19 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.
2026 IHSA Class 5A football bracket scores, schedule
Class 5A opening round pairingswill be released at 9:27 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.
2026 IHSA Class 6A football bracket scores, schedule
Class 6A opening round pairingswill be released at 9:35 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.
2026 IHSA Class 7A football bracket scores, schedule
Class 7A opening round pairingswill be released at 9:35 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.
2026 IHSA Class 8A football bracket scores, schedule
Class 8A opening round pairingswill be released at 9:35 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.
2026 IHSA football playoff qualifiers
Here are the 384 teams that have made the Illinois high school football playoffs in 2026, listed with overall record, playoff points and defeated opponents' wins. There were some teams with losing records that made the field.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 2026 IHSA bracket, schedule for opening round Illinois high school football games