The FHSAA will announce the eight-team Florida Open Division Football Playoffs 2026 field and seeds on Friday, Nov. 6, at 5 p.m. ET, setting the stage for the state’s first Open Division postseason format.
The new setup is different from the traditional Class 1A–6A playoffs, which will continue separately. The Open Division is reserved for eight teams and uses MaxPreps rankings at the conclusion of the regular season to determine who gets in and where each team is seeded from No. 1 through No. 8.
How the Open Division works
Instead of going straight into a single-elimination bracket, the Open Division playoffs will begin with three weeks of pool play. The eight teams will be split into two four-team pools, giving each qualifier a different opening path before the tournament format changes.
After those three weeks, the Open Division will shift to single elimination. The top two teams in each pool will advance to the state semifinals, with the field narrowing quickly from there until the state championship is decided.
For now, the key date is Friday evening. Once the field and seeds are revealed, the first version of Florida’s Open Division will finally have a bracket path and a clear road to the title.
