Texas UIL Football Districts and Regions

Texas high school football operates under a complex organizational system. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) divides more than 1,200 football programs into districts, regions, and classifications to create fair competition and manageable schedules. This structure determines your team’s schedule, playoff path, and conference rivals.

How UIL Districts Are Formed

The UIL creates districts based on three primary factors: classification (school size), geographic proximity, and competitive balance.

Every two years, the UIL conducts a statewide enrollment snapshot, typically in late October. Schools report their student population, and those numbers determine which classification a school belongs to. Once schools are sorted into classifications 1A through 6A, the UIL assigns them to districts.

Geography plays the dominant role in district assignment. The UIL aims to minimize travel distances for regular-season games, particularly for smaller schools in rural areas where a single bus trip might otherwise span hundreds of miles. Schools in the same general area usually end up in the same district, though exceptions occur when enrollment numbers or competitive balance require adjustments.

District size varies considerably. Most districts contain between four and eight teams, though some have as few as three or as many as ten. Smaller districts mean fewer district games but potentially more non-district scheduling flexibility. Larger districts create tighter competition for playoff spots but leave less room for marquee non-district matchups.

The Playoff Structure: District, Region, and State

Texas UIL football playoffs use a bracket system that flows from districts to regions to the state championship.

Districts form the foundation. Each classification is divided into multiple districts across the state. For example, Class 6A might have 32 districts, while Class 2A might have 16. The exact number changes with each realignment cycle.

Regions sit above districts in the playoff structure. Typically, four districts combine to form a region. The UIL divides each classification into four regions (Region I through Region IV), covering different geographic sections of the state. Region I generally covers West Texas and the Panhandle, Region II covers North Texas including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Region III covers the Houston area and East Texas, and Region IV covers South Texas including San Antonio.

The playoff bracket progresses as follows: District champions and runners-up (and sometimes third and fourth place teams, depending on classification) advance to the bi-district round. Winners continue through area, regional quarterfinal, regional semifinal, and regional final rounds. The four regional champions then meet in the state semifinals, with winners advancing to the state championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Playoff Qualification: How Many Teams Advance

The number of playoff qualifiers from each district depends on the classification and sometimes the specific district structure.

In most six-man and Class 1A districts, two teams advance to the playoffs. Larger classifications (3A through 6A) typically send four teams per district. This expanded qualification means that finishing fourth in district still earns a postseason berth, though the seeding creates a more difficult bracket path.

Playoff seeding matters. District champions face fourth-place teams from other districts in bi-district, while second-place teams face third-place teams. This seeding advantage compounds through the bracket, as higher seeds continue to face lower-seeded opponents in subsequent rounds.

Tiebreaker procedures come into play when teams finish with identical district records. Head-to-head results take priority, followed by point differential in games between tied teams. When three or more teams are tied, the process becomes more complex, sometimes requiring mini-brackets or coin flips.

The Biennial Realignment

Every two years, the UIL reshuffles district assignments based on new enrollment data. This realignment affects nearly every program in the state to some degree.

The realignment process begins with the October enrollment snapshot. Schools submit their numbers, and the UIL staff spends several months analyzing data, drawing district boundaries, and soliciting feedback. The new alignments are announced in February, taking effect the following school year for a two-year cycle.

Schools sometimes move between classifications during realignment. A growing suburban school might jump from 5A to 6A, while a school with declining enrollment might drop from 4A to 3A. These classification changes automatically trigger district reassignment.

Even schools that remain in the same classification often see district changes. New schools opening, existing schools closing, and enrollment shifts among neighboring programs all contribute to boundary adjustments.

Impact on Rivalries

District realignment creates both opportunities and challenges for traditional rivalries.

Some rivalries exist only when schools share a district. Teams that have faced each other annually for decades might suddenly find themselves in different districts, requiring intentional non-district scheduling to maintain the tradition. Many schools prioritize these historic matchups when building their non-district slate.

Conversely, realignment sometimes reunites former rivals or creates new ones. Schools that previously competed in the same district but were separated might return to the same conference, rekindling old competitions.

Losing a longtime rival hurts. For communities where Friday night football defines the fall social calendar, a district change can feel disruptive. Schools and communities often advocate publicly during the realignment process to preserve meaningful rivalries.

Non-District Scheduling and Crossover Games

Texas high school football teams typically play ten regular-season games: four or five non-district games followed by five or six district games.

Non-district games offer scheduling flexibility. Schools can seek out competitive matchups, maintain rivalries with former district opponents, or schedule strategically based on playoff preparation goals. Some programs pursue challenging non-district schedules to build toughness, while others prefer more manageable early-season opponents.

Crossover games between teams from different classifications are common in non-district play. A 5A school might schedule a 4A opponent, or a 6A team might face a private school from a different governing body. These games provide competitive variety and allow programs of different sizes to compete.

What District Assignment Means for Your Program

A school’s district assignment shapes the football experience in several ways.

Travel requirements vary dramatically by district. Urban districts might involve thirty-minute bus rides, while rural districts could mean three-hour trips for every away game. Families should factor travel time into their Friday night plans.

Competition level differs by district as well. Some districts concentrate traditionally strong programs, creating brutal paths to the playoffs. Other districts might be more balanced or include rebuilding programs, offering clearer routes to postseason qualification.

Playoff bracket implications extend from district assignment. Which other districts combine to form your region determines potential playoff opponents. A school might dominate its district but face a traditionally dominant program from a neighboring district in bi-district every year.

Understanding your district helps set appropriate expectations and goals for the season. It also helps families appreciate the broader context of Texas high school football, where organization and structure create the framework for Friday night traditions across the state.