The regular season is over, the district brackets are set and Missouri high school football teams are preparing for the most important stretch of the season.

The 2026 Missouri State High School Activities Association football playoffs begin Friday, Oct. 30, with district tournament games across six 11-player classifications and eight-player football.

From traditional championship contenders in the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas to small-school powers scattered across the state, teams are now competing for the opportunity to reach the Show-Me Bowl.

Unlike states that use one statewide bracket for each classification from the opening round, Missouri begins with district tournaments. Teams must survive their district before advancing into the statewide championship rounds.

Some of the state's leading contenders have earned opening-round byes, including Jackson and Nixa in Class 6, Platte County and Republic in Class 5, Kearney in Class 4, Blair Oaks and Lamar in Class 2, and Marionville in Class 1.

The postseason will conclude Dec. 3-5 at Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium on the campus of Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

Here is a classification-by-classification look at the 2026 Missouri high school football playoff brackets, notable opening-round matchups and the road to the state championships.

Class 6 Missouri High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 6 features several established championship contenders, along with teams hoping to make a deep postseason run after impressive regular seasons.

Jackson earned the No. 1 seed in its district following an undefeated 9-0 regular season and will receive an opening-round bye.

Nixa also earned a first-round bye and awaits the winner of Kickapoo and Waynesville.

In the St. Louis area, Northwest, Seckman, Kirkwood, Christian Brothers College and De Smet Jesuit are among the teams positioned to advance into the district semifinals.

Several first-round games will determine which teams join them.

Featured Class 6 First-Round Matchups — Oct. 30

• Oakville vs. Lindbergh
• Marquette vs. Lafayette
• Hazelwood West vs. Francis Howell North
• Liberty vs. Francis Howell Central
• Kickapoo vs. Waynesville
• Hickman vs. Lee's Summit
• Lee's Summit North vs. Blue Springs South
• Lee's Summit West vs. Park Hill South
• Staley vs. St. Joseph Central
• Oak Park vs. Liberty

Notable opening-round byes: Jackson, Northwest, Seckman, Kirkwood, Christian Brothers College, De Smet Jesuit and Nixa.

Class 5 Missouri High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 5 features several intriguing district tournaments, including potential championship contenders Platte County, Republic, Helias Catholic, Grain Valley and St. Mary's.

Platte County, which captured the 2025 Class 5 state championship, opens its postseason with a bye.

Republic also receives an opening-round bye and will face the winner of Carthage and Webb City, one of the more compelling first-round matchups in southwest Missouri.

Helias Catholic awaits the winner of Glendale and Rolla, while Grain Valley and St. Mary's also have direct paths into the district semifinals.

Featured Class 5 First-Round Matchups — Oct. 30

• Farmington vs. Poplar Bluff
• Central vs. Mehlville
• Parkway South vs. Webster Groves
• Rockwood Summit vs. Parkway Central
• Cardinal Ritter College Prep vs. McCluer
• Chaminade vs. Hazelwood Central
• Fort Zumwalt East vs. Fort Zumwalt South
• St. Dominic vs. North Point
• Glendale vs. Rolla
• Camdenton vs. Lebanon
• West Plains vs. Jefferson City
• Carthage vs. Webb City
• Neosho vs. Parkview
• Branson vs. Willard
• Belton vs. Capital City
• Winnetonka vs. Lincoln College Prep

Notable opening-round byes: Fox, St. Mary's, Eureka, Ladue Horton Watkins, Timberland, Helias Catholic, Republic, Grain Valley and Platte County.

Class 4 Missouri High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 4 features several strong contenders, including defending state champion Kearney.

Kearney opens the postseason with a bye, as do Logan-Rogersville, Festus, Sikeston, Union, Moberly and several other district leaders.

In southwest Missouri, Logan-Rogersville will face the winner of Monett and Hillcrest.

Carl Junction opens against Marshfield, while Bolivar faces McDonald County in another District 6 contest.

Featured Class 4 First-Round Matchups — Oct. 30

• North County vs. De Soto
• Hillsboro vs. Windsor
• Vianney vs. Affton
• Hannibal vs. Warrenton
• Parkway North vs. St. Charles
• Orchard Farm vs. Holt
• Kirksville vs. Mexico
• Warrensburg vs. Knob Noster/Leeton
• Osage vs. Marshall
• Monett vs. Hillcrest
• Carl Junction vs. Marshfield
• Bolivar vs. McDonald County

Notable opening-round byes: Festus, Sikeston, Union, St. Charles West, Moberly, Logan-Rogersville and Kearney.

Class 3 Missouri High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 3 features a mixture of established postseason powers and programs hoping to make a championship breakthrough.

Defending state champion Seneca is among the teams to watch as the tournament progresses.

Cassville earned the top seed in District 6 and receives an opening-round bye. The Wildcats will face the winner of Mount Vernon and Reeds Spring.

Mountain Grove also earned a bye in District 5 and awaits the winner of Cuba/Steelville and Buffalo.

Southern Boone secured the top seed in District 4 and will face the winner of Wright City and Fulton.

Featured Class 3 First-Round Matchups — Oct. 30

• St. Francis Borgia vs. Owensville
• Hallsville vs. Eldon
• Wright City vs. Fulton
• Strafford vs. Pleasant Hope/Halfway/Marion C. Early
• St. James vs. Salem
• Cuba/Steelville vs. Buffalo
• Seneca vs. Hollister
• Nevada vs. Aurora
• Mount Vernon vs. Reeds Spring

Notable opening-round byes: Southern Boone, Mountain Grove and Cassville.

Class 2 Missouri High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 2 features defending state champion Blair Oaks, along with perennial contenders Lamar, Valle Catholic, Springfield Catholic and Centralia.

Blair Oaks earned the top seed in District 5 and will await the winner of Cole Camp and South Callaway.

Lamar receives an opening-round bye in District 4, with Warsaw and Sarcoxie competing for the opportunity to face the Tigers.

Springfield Catholic also advances directly to the district semifinals and will face the winner of Liberty-Mountain View and Forsyth.

Featured Class 2 First-Round Matchups — Oct. 30

• Saxony Lutheran vs. New Madrid County Central
• Kelly vs. East Prairie
• Duchesne vs. Hermann
• Montgomery County vs. Confluence Prep Academy
• Liberty-Mountain View vs. Forsyth
• Fair Grove vs. Houston
• Ava vs. Willow Springs
• Warsaw vs. Sarcoxie
• Clever vs. El Dorado Springs
• East Newton vs. Stockton/Sheldon
• Cole Camp vs. South Callaway
• Father Tolton vs. California
• North Callaway vs. Versailles
• Monroe City vs. Clark County
• Palmyra vs. Highland
• Bowling Green vs. Mark Twain

Notable opening-round byes: St. Vincent, Caruthersville, Valle Catholic, Springfield Catholic, Lamar, Blair Oaks, Centralia and Mid-Buchanan.

Class 1 Missouri High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 1 features defending state champion Tipton, along with contenders Marionville, Thayer, Portageville, Adrian and several other small-school programs.

Marionville earned the top seed in District 3 and receives an opening-round bye. The Comets will face the winner of Pierce City and Diamond.

Tipton also receives a bye in District 4, where Windsor and Linn meet for the opportunity to advance.

In District 1, Thayer and Portageville earned the top two seeds and will await the winners of the district's opening-round games.

Featured Class 1 First-Round Matchups — Oct. 30

• Hayti vs. Malden
• Charleston vs. Cabool
• Veritas Christian Academy vs. Grandview
• Pierce City vs. Diamond
• Windsor vs. Linn
• Crest Ridge vs. North Platte

Notable opening-round byes: Thayer, Portageville, Marionville, Miller, Ash Grove, Tipton, Skyline, Russellville, Carrollton and Adrian.

Eight-Player Missouri High School Football Playoff Bracket

Missouri's eight-player football tournament features a large field of small-school programs competing for a state championship.

Defending champion Worth County/Northeast Nodaway is among the teams to watch.

The opening round includes several compelling matchups, while programs such as Bishop LeBlond, Rock Port, Appleton City and Lockwood/Golden City have earned byes.

The eight-player championship will be the first title decided during the Show-Me Bowl, with the final scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 3.

Featured Eight-Player First-Round Matchups — Oct. 30

• New Heights Christian Academy vs. Jasper
• Rich Hill/Hume vs. Drexel/Miami
• Archie vs. Osceola
• Concordia vs. St. Paul Lutheran
• Sweet Springs vs. Lincoln
• Northland Christian vs. South Holt
• St. Joseph Christian vs. DeKalb
• Mound City vs. South Nodaway
• North Andrew vs. East Atchison
• Stanberry vs. King City
• Albany vs. Pattonsburg/North Daviess/Winston
• Slater vs. Schuyler County
• Paris vs. Keytesville

Notable opening-round byes: Lockwood/Golden City, Greenfield, Appleton City, Bishop LeBlond, Rock Port, Worth County/Northeast Nodaway and North Shelby.

Missouri High School Football State Championship Schedule

The seven 2026 MSHSAA football state championships will be played Dec. 3-5 at Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

Thursday, Dec. 3

7 p.m. — Eight-player state championship

Friday, Dec. 4

11 a.m. — Class 6 state championship

3 p.m. — Class 2 state championship

7 p.m. — Class 4 state championship

Saturday, Dec. 5

11 a.m. — Class 5 state championship

3 p.m. — Class 1 state championship

7 p.m. — Class 3 state championship

What's Next in the Missouri High School Football Playoffs?

District tournament action begins Friday, Oct. 30, with the winners advancing to district semifinals Nov. 6.

District championships follow Nov. 13, with state quarterfinals scheduled for Nov. 21 and semifinals Nov. 28.

The season concludes with seven state championship games Dec. 3-5 in St. Joseph.

High School On SI will continue following the Missouri high school football playoffs with updated brackets, scores and championship matchups throughout the postseason.