AHSAA 2026-’28 reclassification shakes up local football regions, postseason play

The Alabama High School Athletic Association announced major changes to its classification system on Jan. 23, including splitting championship play for public and private schools.

The AHSAA, which reclassifies school regions every two years, has voted to do away with the seven-class system added in 2014 and go back to having six total classes, 1A through 6A.

Private schools, which are funded through tuition and donations instead of taxpayer dollars, will be split into Private Class Single A and Private Class Double A.

This change will go into effect at the start of the 2026-27 school year.

“The landscape of education-based athletics in Alabama is changing, and the AHSAA must continue to adapt,” said AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon. “After careful review – and after listening to our public and private school members – the Central Board determined that now is an appropriate time to restructure championship play, resulting in restructured championships for public and private schools. This model will be implemented for the next two years.”

Private schools, since they are not publicly funded, are allowed to recruit players from outside the school district.

Public schools must rely on players that live inside the district or who properly transfer to the area.

The class size of a school is based on average daily attendance from grades ninth through 11th, so schools of similar sizes occupying the same geographic area are placed together in regions or areas for regular-season play

Because of the advantage being able to recruit players gives private schools, they have previously been forced to add a multiplier to their student count, meaning they often play in a higher class than their enrollment would normally dictate.

Since 1999, that multiplier has been 1.35, and a further competitive balance factor was added by the AHSAA in 2018.

While any member AHSAA school may still schedule any other member, meaning public and private schools can still play during the regular season, public schools will no longer have to face private schools during the postseason.

For example, from 2024 to 2026, Colbert County, Colbert Heights and Sheffield, each public schools, have shared a football region with Mars Hill Bible School, a private school.

Despite being founded in just 2014, the Mars Hill football program won state titles in 2018, 2020, 2024 and 2025.

Three of the opponents Mars Hill faced in the 2025 postseason were public schools. In 2024, it was four.

While factors like coaching and athletic training obviously play a key role in program strength, winning four state championships in such a short time span was undoubtedly aided by the ability to legally recruit players.

“The Central Board has approved a championship alignment model that applies only to postseason play,” Harmon said. “Its purpose is to expand opportunity and strengthen the overall championship experience for student-athletes across Alabama. All championships will be played together at our championship venues.
“The Alabama High School Athletic Association remains one unified association serving all its member schools. Public and private schools will continue to compete against one another throughout the regular season.”

Since Class 7A is being scrapped, Class 6A will now contain the 32 largest schools in the state.

As such, Muscle Shoals, currently a 6A school, will return to the 5A ranks for the first time since 2013.

In football, the Trojans will be in Region 7 with Athens, Austin, Decatur, East Limestone, Florence, Hartselle, and Russellville.

This will renew the rivalry with Russellville, last played on the gridiron in 2013, and make the Battle of the Tennessee River with Florence a region game, as the Falcons were previously in Class 7A.

Deshler will remain in Class 4A, with fellow Region 7 opponents Ardmore, Brooks, Hamilton, Lawrence County, Priceville, West Morgan and West Point.

The Tigers took down the undefeated Aggies 31-30 in overtime in the second round of the 2025 playoffs.

The next game in that series will now be part of the regular season.

Colbert Heights will now be the only local team in Class 3A.

The Wildcats are paired with Central-Florence, Clements, Elkmont, Lauderdale County, Rogers, West Limestone and Wilson.

In what may be the biggest switch from last season, Colbert County and Sheffield are now in Class 2A, Region 7 with Falkville, J.B. Pennington, Lexington, Phil Campbell, Tanner and Winston County.

None of those teams were region opponents for the teams from Colbert County over the last two years.

Cherokee remains in Class 1A, Region 7 with mostly familiar opponents in Addison, Belgreen, Cherokee, Hackleburg, Meek, Phillips, Red Bay and Waterloo.

“Through multiple meetings with our private school members, they expressed a desire for greater financial flexibility,” Harmon said. “This model directly addresses those concerns while maintaining fair play for all. Because postseason competition will follow restructured pathways, we are now able toward removing financial barriers for private school eligibility.

“Private school members also voiced their desire to remove the 1.35 multiplier and competitive balance adjustments. Private schools will now be classified strictly on enrollment.

“As always, it was a difficult job, but everyone worked together to find the best solution as we move forward. We believe this is a strong plan, but as with every cycle, we will listen to our membership and make adjustments as needed.”