OHSAA announces new football divisions, regions for 2026

The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced the new divisional breakdowns and playoff regions for the 2026 football season on Thursday, April 23.

The current divisions and regions for the 2026 football season are posted here.

In total, 16 Greater Cincinnati area programs will play in a new division this fall.

• Moving from Division III to Division II: Ross, Talawanda, Badin
• Moving from Division II to Division III: Northwest, Monroe, Mt. Healthy
• Moving from Division IV to Division III: Indian Hill
• Moving from Division III to Division IV: Woodward
• Moving from Division V to Division IV: Norwood, Clark Montessori, North College Hill
• Moving from Division VI to Division V: Summit Country Day, Blanchester
• Moving from Division IV to Division V: Gamble Montessori
• Moving from Division V to Division VI: Finneytown
• Moving from Division VII to Division VI: Cincinnati College Prep

Vote: Greater Cincinnati high school athlete of the week, April 20

Thirty-seven schools moved up a division from their 2025 assignment because the 2026-27 school year is the start of a new two-year base enrollment cycle, and/or the OHSAA's competitive balance process.

There are 72 Division I teams in Ohio and over 100 programs in Divisions II-VII.

Beginning on May 15, schools can have up to 13 days of practice without pads during the summer. An additional five days are permitted beginning July 15 for schools to complete the mandatory five-day acclimatization period, the OHSAA announced.

The OHSAA has no set limit on physical fitness and conditioning workouts over the summer. Practice for the 2026 season begins on Aug. 1 and the regular season begins the week of Aug. 17.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: OHSAA announces new football divisions, regions for 2026