What’s New for the 2026 Wyoming High School Football Season

The 2026 high school football season is rapidly approaching. Class 4A teams began practice on Monday and will get into pads on Thursday. The other four classes start practice next Monday, August 17. The season officially has its first games on August 28 and 29. There are also a few changes to know for the new season.

WYOPREPS HIGHLIGHTS CHANGES FOR THE NEW YEAR ON THE GRIDIRON

The same five-class system that Wyoming has used since 2020. There are 10 schools in Class 4A, 12 in 3A, 15 in Class 2A, 14 in 9-man, and 14 in the 6-man division.

It has been announced that Shoshoni has canceled its 2026 9-man football season. All of their opponents will receive a win by forfeit during the week they were scheduled to play the Wranglers unless they fill that void with a new opponent. That will be difficult given how close we are to the start of the new season.

There are no changes at the 4A level. Teams will play nine games during the regular season, and the top eight advance to the playoffs.

In Class 3A, Worland moves back up after being part of Class 2A the previous two years. The Warriors join the 3A East Conference, replacing Torrington. The top four teams in each conference advance to the playoffs.

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The Trailblazers are one of two changes in Class 2A for the 2026 season. Torrington will be in the East Conference. The Upton-Sundance co-op has ended. That leaves 15 teams in this division with seven in the West Conference and eight in the East Conference. Cokeville still opts up to play 2A football. The top four in each league qualify for the playoffs.

The biggest changes are in the 9-man division. Before Shoshoni’s season cancellation, 14 teams were in this classification. Sundance and Upton are both in the 9-man league East Conference. Upton is actually opting up because they are eligible to play 6-man. Since the Bulldogs and Bobcats are in the East Conference, that pushes Saratoga to the West. The top four teams in each conference will make the playoffs.

Finally, in 6-man, 14 teams are in this class. That puts 7 in each conference. The one change is Guernsey-Sunrise is back in at the varsity level in the South Conference. The North league remains the same. WyoPreps has heard a couple of schools are dealing with very low numbers, which could impact this season. The top four in each league will advance to the postseason.

The first round of the playoffs is the weekend of October 30. The semifinals will be on November 6. The 2026 Wyoming High School football state championships are November 13 and 14 at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie.

Class breakdown of each team in their conference for 2026

4A (one conference) = Campbell County, Central, East, Kelly Walsh, Laramie, Natrona County, Rock Springs, Sheridan, South, and Thunder Basin.

3A West = Cody, Evanston, Green River, Jackson, Powell, and Star Valley.

3A East = Buffalo, Douglas, Lander, Rawlins, Riverton, and Worland.

2A West = Cokeville, Kemmerer, Lovell, Lyman, Mountain View, Pinedale, and Thermopolis.

2A East = Big Horn, Burns, Glenrock, Moorcroft, Newcastle, Tongue River, Torrington, and Wheatland.

1A 9-Man West = Big Piney, Greybull, Rocky Mountain, Saratoga, Shoshoni, Wind River, and Wyoming Indian.

1A 9-Man East = Lingle-Ft. Laramie, Lusk, Pine Bluffs, Southeast, Sundance, Upton, and Wright.

1A 6-Man North = Burlington, Hulett, Kaycee, Meeteetse, Midwest, Riverside, and Ten Sleep.

1A 6-Man South = Casper Christian, Dubois, Encampment, Farson-Eden, Guernsey-Sunrise, H.E.M., and Little Snake River.

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