Funny I have been working on an alternative District Proposal. I will attach it.
IHSA Football District and Playoff Proposal
Proposal Overview
This proposal establishes a district-based scheduling and playoff system for IHSA football. The objectives are to:
- Create geographically sensible districts.
- Provide every school with a clear path to playoff qualification.
- Preserve scheduling flexibility during the opening weeks of the season.
- Separate playoff qualifiers by enrollment after the regular season.
- Address the competitive differences between public and private schools.
- Incorporate the Chicago Public League while allowing it to retain control of its regular-season structure.
The classifications are based on the 2026 football enrollments. The IHSA enrollment multiplier has been applied to all private and non-boundaried schools.
Illinois currently has 438 football-playing schools outside the Chicago Public League. These schools would be divided into four enrollment classifications:
Classification | Schools |
| Class 4 | 102 largest schools |
| Class 3 | Next 112 schools |
| Class 2 | Next 112 schools |
| Class 1 | 112 smallest schools |
| Total | 438 schools |
Districts within each classification would be created primarily according to geography.
Regular-Season District Structure
Class 4
Class 4 would consist of 102 schools divided into 14 districts:
- Four districts of eight schools.
- Ten districts of seven schools.
Schools in eight-team districts would play seven district games and have two open dates available for non-district competition.
Schools in seven-team districts would play six district games and have three open dates available for non-district competition.
District games would be played during the latter portion of the regular season. Open dates would generally be scheduled during the opening weeks.
Because the ten seven-team districts would require open dates during district play, schools with corresponding open dates could schedule one another when necessary.
The top four teams from each Class 4 district would qualify for the playoffs:
14 districts × four qualifiers = 56 IHSA district qualifiers
The Chicago Public League would provide eight additional Class 4 qualifiers, creating a 64-team Class 4 playoff field.
Class 3
Class 3 would consist of 112 schools divided into 14 districts of eight schools.
Each school would play:
- Seven district games.
- Two non-district games.
The top four teams from each district would qualify for the playoffs:
14 districts × four qualifiers = 56 IHSA district qualifiers
The Chicago Public League would provide eight additional Class 3 qualifiers, creating a 64-team Class 3 playoff field.
Class 2
Class 2 would consist of 112 schools divided into 14 districts of eight schools.
Each school would play:
- Seven district games.
- Two non-district games.
The top four teams from each district would qualify for the playoffs:
14 districts × four qualifiers = 56 IHSA district qualifiers
The Chicago Public League would provide eight additional Class 2 qualifiers, creating a 64-team Class 2 playoff field.
Class 1
Class 1 would consist of 112 schools divided into 16 districts of seven schools.
Each school would play:
- Six district games.
- Three non-district games.
The top four teams from each district would qualify for the playoffs:
16 districts × four qualifiers = 64 Class 1 playoff teams
The Chicago Public League would not provide any Class 1 qualifiers.
Chicago Public League
The Chicago Public League currently has 74 football-playing schools. The CPL would be permitted to organize its divisions and schedule its regular season as it determines appropriate.
The following structure is recommended for playoff qualification.
Blue Division
The 20 schools currently assigned to the Blue Division would remain outside the IHSA football playoffs.
Playoff-Eligible Schools
The remaining 54 CPL schools would be separated into three enrollment groups of 18 schools:
CPL Group | Corresponding IHSA Class | Divisional Structure |
| Large School Division | Class 4 | Two divisions of nine |
| Middle School Division | Class 3 | Two divisions of nine |
| Small School Division | Class 2 | Two divisions of nine |
The top four teams from each nine-team division would qualify for the IHSA playoffs.
This would produce:
- Eight CPL qualifiers for Class 4.
- Eight CPL qualifiers for Class 3.
- Eight CPL qualifiers for Class 2.
- No CPL qualifiers for Class 1.
Each of Classes 2, 3 and 4 would therefore have 56 district qualifiers and eight CPL qualifiers, producing a complete 64-team playoff field.
Playoff Structure
Each classification would have 64 playoff qualifiers. Following qualification, each field would be separated into two 32-team playoff divisions.
The AA division would include all qualifying private schools. The remaining AA positions would be filled by the largest qualifying public schools according to their adjusted enrollment.
All other qualifiers would be assigned to the A division.
This would create eight state championship tournaments:
- Class 4AA
- Class 4A
- Class 3AA
- Class 3A
- Class 2AA
- Class 2A
- Class 1AA
- Class 1A
Class 4 Playoffs
The Class 4 playoff field would include:
- 56 qualifiers from the 14 Class 4 districts.
- Eight qualifiers from the Chicago Public League.
- 64 total qualifiers.
Class 4AA
Class 4AA would consist of 32 teams.
All qualifying private schools would automatically be placed in Class 4AA. The remaining positions would be filled by the largest qualifying public schools according to adjusted enrollment.
Class 4A
Class 4A would consist of the remaining 32 Class 4 qualifiers.
Class 3 Playoffs
The Class 3 playoff field would include:
- 56 qualifiers from the 14 Class 3 districts.
- Eight qualifiers from the Chicago Public League.
- 64 total qualifiers.
Class 3AA
Class 3AA would consist of 32 teams.
All qualifying private schools would automatically be placed in Class 3AA. The remaining positions would be filled by the largest qualifying public schools according to adjusted enrollment.
Class 3A
Class 3A would consist of the remaining 32 Class 3 qualifiers.
Class 2 Playoffs
The Class 2 playoff field would include:
- 56 qualifiers from the 14 Class 2 districts.
- Eight qualifiers from the Chicago Public League.
- 64 total qualifiers.
Class 2AA
Class 2AA would consist of 32 teams.
All qualifying private schools would automatically be placed in Class 2AA. The remaining positions would be filled by the largest qualifying public schools according to adjusted enrollment.
Class 2A
Class 2A would consist of the remaining 32 Class 2 qualifiers.
Class 1 Playoffs
The Class 1 playoff field would include:
- Four qualifiers from each of the 16 Class 1 districts.
- No qualifiers from the Chicago Public League.
- 64 total qualifiers.
Class 1AA
Class 1AA would consist of 32 teams.
All qualifying private schools would automatically be placed in Class 1AA. The remaining positions would be filled by the largest qualifying public schools according to adjusted enrollment.
Class 1A
Class 1A would consist of the remaining 32 Class 1 qualifiers.
Overall Playoff Breakdown
Playoff Classification | Teams |
| Class 4AA | 32 |
| Class 4A | 32 |
| Class 3AA | 32 |
| Class 3A | 32 |
| Class 2AA | 32 |
| Class 2A | 32 |
| Class 1AA | 32 |
| Class 1A | 32 |
| Total playoff qualifiers | 256 |
This format would preserve eight 32-team state championship tournaments while replacing the current statewide qualification system with geographically based districts and guaranteed district playoff berths.
