MIAA sets specific dates for 2026 high school sports postseason
Football playoffs begin Nov. 5, with final games scheduled at Gillette Stadium in early December.
By Justin Barnes ·
Massachusetts high school athletes and fans now have a fixed calendar for the 2026 postseason. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association has released specific dates for bracket releases and championship games across multiple sports.
Football playoffs start on Thursday, Nov. 5. The regular season concludes on Saturday, Oct. 31. Brackets for the sport will be published at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1. The final football games are tentatively scheduled for Dec. 3-5 at Gillette Stadium.
Soccer, field hockey, and girls' volleyball all end their regular seasons on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and Sunday, Nov. 1, respectively. Bracket releases for these three sports are set for Tuesday, Nov. 3. Soccer brackets go out at 1 p.m., while field hockey and volleyball brackets are released at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively. Playoffs for all three sports begin on Thursday, Nov. 5, with state championships held on Nov. 20-21.
Cross-country sectionals occur on Saturday, Nov. 14. Division 1 athletes compete at Devens, Division 2 at Wrentham, and Division 3 at Northfield Mountain. All sectionals start at 11 a.m. The state championship meet is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21, at Devens.
Swimming sectionals take place at Boston University on Sunday, Nov. 8. The South division begins at 1:15 p.m., and the North division starts at 6:15 p.m. The state meet follows on Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, starting at 4:15 p.m.
Golf state championships have already been decided. Xaverian won the Division 1 title, Norton took Division 2, and Old Rochester secured Division 3. The Boston Globe reported that Xaverian's repeat victory fits the pattern for coach Chris Morrow. Old Rochester's win was described as a performance involving shots into the woods.
The Boston Globe is covering all MIAA postseason games, including bracket releases and playoff primers. Readers can access updates through Globe.com/Schools or by following the outlet on social media platforms.
Source: The Boston Globe
