The 2026 Colorado high school football season is taking shape, with a full schedule of dates announced for practices, regular‑season kickoffs, playoff rounds and title games across the state's classifications.
Week 0 Kicks Off August 20
The opening week of regular‑season play, commonly called Week 0, is slated for August 20, marking the official start of competition for teams across the state.
Practice Begins August 3
Fall practice for all programs is scheduled to start on August 3, giving squads a brief but intense window to fine‑tune before the first games arrive.
Playoffs on the Horizon
As the regular season progresses, playoff brackets begin to fill, with the smallest classifications taking the field first.
2A teams will open their postseason on October 31, 2026, while every other classification will see its playoff action commence on November 6.
Championships Set for November and December
The culmination of the season arrives with championship games spread across the final weekend of November and the first weekend of December.
Six‑man and eight‑man title contests are slated for November 27, followed by the 1A and 2A finals on November 28, and the 3A, 4A and 5A championships on December 5.