Wisconsin’s high school football postseason field features 224 teams across seven divisions after the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association released official brackets on October 17, 2026. Level 1 games begin October 23, culminating in state championships at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on November 19-20.
Wisconsin Teams Learn Postseason Pairings After Weekend Reveal Show
Out of 354 eligible 11-player programs across the state, exactly 224 teams earned a spot in the postseason bracket according to the official announcement. Following the conclusion of the regular season, the association released the full football playoff qualifying field on Saturday morning, October 17, 2026. The journey to Camp Randall Stadium is officially underway.
The announcement came during a one-hour live broadcast at 10 a.m. produced by the WIAA State Tournament Network. WKOW Sports Director Karl Winter and WAOW Sports Director Dylan Eckhart hosted the program, while high school football analyst Travis Wilson provided live commentary across participating television stations and the WIAA Sports Live app.
SEEDS ARE OUT: Eight teams from Northeast Wisconsin receive No. 1 seeds. @wdp_football @BayPortFootbal1 @ndatritonfb @FreedomIrishFB @LittleChuteFB @Coach_Krom @BonduelBears @Coleman_Sports1. #HSGT https://t.co/kY84ohdd1K
The network stations airing the live broadcast included WKOW 27.2 in Madison, WAOW 9.2 in Wausau, WQOW 18.2 in Eau Claire, and WXOW 19.2 in La Crosse, alongside Milwaukee affiliate EVTV 24.1. Complete brackets and opening-round pairings became available on the WIAA website and social media platforms immediately after the announcements concluded.
Top Seeds and Local Matchups Take Form Across Divisions
West De Pere, making its first-ever appearance in Division 1, earned a No. 1 seed. The Phantoms face a daunting first-round test against perennial powerhouse Kimberly, which grabbed a No. 8 seed after a rare 4-5 regular season. Bay Port claimed the other top seed in Division 1 on the opposite side of the bracket.
The WIAA DIVISION 1 Football Playoff Bracket is set! 🏈The #RoadToCampRandall begins next Friday, October 23! Congratulations to all qualifiers and best of luck in the postseason! #WIAAFB pic.twitter.com/sqocuBQXuW
Division 2 features Notre Dame Academy securing a No. 1 seed following an undefeated regular season. The Tritons outscored conference opponents 420-18. Star running back Kingston Allen made headlines during the final week of the regular season by setting a new state mark.
Division 3 Winneconne enters as a No. 2 seed, while Green Bay West snapped a 30-year playoff drought, earning a No. 7 seed to face Medford in Level 1. Division 4 highlights Freedom and Little Chute as top seeds after dominant regular seasons, with Freedom having defeated Little Chute 49-29 earlier in the year.
Additional top seeds were awarded across the remaining classifications. Racine Lutheran, Darlington, and New Glarus secured No. 1 seeds in Division 5, while Bonduel and Manitowoc Lutheran claimed the top spots in Division 6 alongside fellow regional qualifiers. In Division 7, Coleman secured a No. 1 seed as co-Northwoods league champions, with other northeast Wisconsin programs earning varied placements throughout the regional brackets.
Teams Prepare for Level 1 Kickoffs and State Finals
Level 1 games are scheduled across the state for Friday, October 23, 2026, with all opening contests set to kick off at 7 p.m. Regional matchups include Wausau West traveling to Bay Port and D.C. Everest playing at Waunakee in Division 1 Group D.
The WIAA DIVISION 2 Football Playoff Bracket is set! 🏈The #RoadToCampRandall begins next Friday, October 23! Congratulations to all qualifiers and best of luck in the postseason! #WIAAFB pic.twitter.com/0u13o2Qw3C
The 2026 WIAA State Football Championships will take place on Thursday and Friday, November 19-20, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, with every championship game broadcast and streamed live across the network’s participating stations and websites.
Will West De Pere successfully defend its new No. 1 positioning against Kimberly’s playoff experience?
The WIAA Football Bracket Reveal Show will air Saturday morning at 10 am, with the official playoff seeds, brackets, and matchups announced during the hourlong show. WFCA Communications Director Travis Wilson will provide commentary:https://t.co/hKcQP0nH5a #wisfb
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