# 2026 IHSA Class 6A Football Playoffs

> Illinois high school football playoffs set for 2026 with Class 6A pairings and scores.
- Title: 2026 IHSA Class 6A Football Playoffs · Chicago Sun-Times
- Summary: Illinois high school football playoffs set for 2026 with Class 6A pairings and scores. Illinois High School Association reveals Class 6A state football…
- Keywords: ihsa, class 6a, state football playoffs, opening round, high school football, illinois, news, local, 2026, Class, Football, Playoffs
- Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/high-school-football/2026/10/17/ihsa-state-football-playoff-pairings-class6a-illinois-2026
- Published: 2026-10-18T02:34:32.382+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ihsa, class 6a, state football playoffs, opening round, high school football, illinois, news, local
## 2026 IHSA Class 6A Playoffs
Illinois High School Association announces Class 6A state football playoff pairings and scores for 2026.
## Opening Round Schedule
Opening Round games begin Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, with all games played on Saturday unless both schools agree to Friday.
## Host Rules for Playoffs
Higher seed hosts in Opening Round; subsequent rounds host based on fewer hosting appearances, with higher seed breaking ties.
## Championship Location
Class 1A through 4A title games on Friday, November 27; Class 5A through 8A title games on Saturday, November 28 at Hancock Stadium in Normal.
## Class 6A Seeding
Class 6A teams are seeded #1 through #24 with seeds #1, #8 receiving an Opening Round bye.
## North Region Pairings
St. Charles East (17) vs. Harlem (1), Burlington Central (9) vs. Lake Zurich (8), and other North Region matchups.
## South Region Pairings
United (16) vs. Kennedy (1), Quincy (9) vs. Goode (8), and other South Region matchups.
## North Region Scores
St. Charles East defeated Elk Grove 42-21, Burlington Central beat Rockford East 41-10, and other North Region results.
## South Region Scores
East Moline beat Champaign Central 24-3, Quincy defeated TF South 41-7, and other South Region results.
## Playoff Structure
The top 16 seeds receive a bye in the Opening Round, with winners advancing to Round 1.
## Key takeaway

Illinois High School Association reveals Class 6A state football playoff pairings and scores for 2026, with Opening Round games scheduled for October 23-24.