AHSAA releases its 2026-28 classifications
Alabama high school sports will undergo their most-significant changes in a half-century after the Alabama High School Athletic Association announced a new structure Friday.
Public and private schools, together in the AHSAA since the organization’s formation over a century ago, are being split.
They’ll play in separate divisions.
Previously, they played together in seven classifications with private schools’ attendance numbers calculated differently. Each private school student counted as a 1.35 multiplier with successful programs — based on their playoff performances — pushed up in class.
Public and private schools can still play each other, but they will not be in the same regions and competing for the same playoffs. Each will have its own postseason.
“The Alabama High School Athletic Association remains one unified association serving all its member schools,” AHSAA executive director Heath Harmon said in a release. “Public and private schools will continue to compete against one another throughout the regular season.”
The change mimics a system used in Tennessee for the last several decades.
Friday’s announcement ranks as the largest reorganization by the AHSAA since it racially integrated with the merger with the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association in July 1968.
Since, the AHSAA expanded from four classifications to six in 1984 and from six classifications to seven in 2014.
Now, AHSAA football will have six classes for public schools and two for privates.
The move is fueled by the playoff success of private schools, particularly in high-profile sports, and the state legislature recently passing the CHOOSE Act, which allows parents to direct public funds to a private school.
The AHSAA had initially ruled that athletes using CHOOSE Act money, barring a bona fide move, were not immediately eligible under its rules, drawing the ire of Gov. Kay Ivey and a lawsuit from the state government.
On Friday, the AHSAA said CHOOSE Act funds would no longer adversely affect eligibility. Also, the previous 1.35 multiplier was removed since private schools are in their own divisions.
Private schools won 21% of all AHSAA championships in the 2024-25 school year, the lowest percentage of the previous five, but privates have won two football titles in each of the last three years.
Mars Hill, in Class 3A the last four seasons due to its success in Class 2A, after being pushed from 1A to 2A for its success there, has won the last two 3A championships.
Coosa Christian, a 1A-sized school, won the 2A state title last fall. Catholic-Montgomery, which plays in 4A basketball, was in 5A football the last two seasons and — before Friday’s changes — was headed to 6A.
The AHSAA began a football playoff system in 1966.
In its first 46 years, only 12 private schools won football championships. In the last 14 years, 20 have hoisted a winning trophy.
The new alignments include a 32-team 6A with 63-64 teams in 1A-5A. The Private school Double-A has 16 teams and Single-A has 28.
Football regions for Franklin schools: Class 5A Region 7 — Russellville, Athens, Austin, Decatur, East Limestone, Florence, Hartselle and Muscle Shoals Class 2A Region 7 — Phil Campbell, Colbert County, Falkville, J.B. Pennington, Lexington, Sheffield, Tanner and Winston County Class 1A Region 7 — Belgreen, Red Bay, Addison, Cherokee, Hackleburg, Meek, Phillips and Waterloo Tharptown and Vina will not play varsity football for two years. They will play a junior varsity schedule.
Volleyball regions for Franklin schools: Class 5A Area 9 — Russellville, Austin, Florence and Muscle Shoals Class 2A Area 9 — Phil Campbell, Carbon Hill and Cold Springs Class 2A Area 13 — Tharptown, Colbert County, Sheffield and Lexington Class 1A Area 14 — Belgreen, Red Bay, Cherokee and Waterloo.
Class 1A Area 13 — Vina, Addison, Hackleburg, Meek and and Phillips.
Classifications for winter and spring sports will be released at a later date.
