AHSAA announces championship restructure, reclassification for 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years
The much-anticipated Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) announcement regarding reclassification, delayed by the AHSAA from December to January, was announced Friday morning, and it included a massive change to the structure of postseason play beginning next year.
In a press release by the AHSAA, the organization announced that public and private schools will, in the future, compete in separate divisions; public schools have been organized into six classifications (1A-6A) and private schools have been placed in two classifications (Single-A and Double-A). Public and private schools, while still able to compete against one another in the regular season, will now compete in their respective divisions for state championships. The 1.35 multiplier and the competitive balance factor applied to private schools have been removed.
“The landscape of education-based athletics in Alabama is changing, and the AHSAA must continue to adapt,” said AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon in the press release. “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.
“The Central Board has approved a championship alignment model that applies only to post-season play. 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,” Harmon added.
The public-private school split, or something approximating it, was rumored for weeks after the AHSAA delayed its reclassification announcement.
The split divisions for public and private schools also played a big role in the reclassification equation and region, area, and section alignment for the 2026-28 seasons. The alignments announced Friday apply to the sports of football, volleyball, flag football, cross country, and swimming and diving. Alignments for winter and spring sports will be determined following completion of those championship seasons.
Class 7A has been eliminated and public schools will now compete in Classes 1A to 6A. For local schools in Franklin County, this has brought about some big changes: Red Bay and Belgreen both dropped down from Class 2A to 1A, and Phil Campbell dropped from 3A to 2A. Russellville (5A), Tharptown (2A), and Vina (1A) stayed put.
“Classification is based on Average Daily Membership (ADM) figures furnished by the State Department of Education for public schools for grades 9 through 11 plus eighth-grade hold-back students. Member private schools report that same data directly to the AHSAA. This accounting process was followed by AHSAA private school members, as well,” the AHSAA’s press release stated.
According to enrollment numbers released by the AHSAA, Russellville will be the 10th smallest school in 5A, Phil Campbell among the biggest schools in 2A, and Red Bay the biggest school in 1A.
In the new football alignment, Russellville will compete in 5A Region 7 which includes Muscle Shoals, Athens, Austin, Decatur, East Limestone, Florence, and Hartselle. Six of those seven schools competed at the Class 6A or 7A levels last season.
Phil Campbell moves into 2A Region 7, which includes teams like Sheffield, Lexington, Colbert County, Winston County. Red Bay and Belgreen, which is playing its first official varsity schedule next year, are in 1A Region 7.
Tharptown and Vina will not field varsity football programs next year.
Perhaps due to site traffic, the AHSAA’s website crashed Friday morning and at the time of writing is still down. The AHSAA provided media outlets with the reclassification and alignment information in an email, but it will be available publicly at this web address when the site is back up.