FHSAA merges Rural class with 1A for next 2 years

Dozens of schools exit Rural class, forcing FHSAA to take action

Jan. 30, 2026 at 2:15pm

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The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) is pausing the Rural class in football and merging those teams with Class 1A for the next two years after an emergency board meeting. This decision comes after the number of schools in the Rural class dropped from 32 to 16, falling below the FHSAA's policy requirement of at least 24 schools for a separate classification.

Why it matters

The FHSAA was forced to take this action in response to dozens of schools leaving the Rural class to join the Sunshine State Athletic Association, which offers a more even playing field for smaller programs. This move will create a more competitive landscape for the remaining Rural teams as they now compete against larger 1A programs.

The details

The FHSAA's decision to merge the Rural class with 1A only applies to football, not other sports. The move will impact programs like Hawthorne, Madison County, Pahokee, Williston, and Blountstown, who will now face tougher competition from schools like Trinity Christian and University Christian in the playoffs. The FHSAA also passed a measure to create a separate independent class to allow teams to stay in the association while competing in their own league, without a state championship.

  • The FHSAA board of directors held an emergency meeting on Thursday, January 30, 2026 to address the issue.
  • The Rural class will be merged with 1A for the next two school years, starting in the 2026-2027 season.

The players

Craig Damon

FHSAA Executive Director, who stated that the move will create a more even playing field and give Rural schools something to play for.

Sunshine State Athletic Association

A rival athletic association that has seen rapid growth, drawing more than two dozen football programs away from the FHSAA over the last two years.

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What they’re saying

“The rural schools that want to be part of the state series can now do so.”

— Craig Damon, FHSAA Executive Director

“We listened to our member schools, and they made it clear this move would create a more even playing field and give them something to play for.”

— Craig Damon, FHSAA Executive Director

What’s next

The FHSAA will announce the new districts for the merged 1A/Rural class in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This decision by the FHSAA highlights the challenges facing smaller high school athletic programs as they struggle to compete with larger schools and the rise of alternative athletic associations. The merger of the Rural class with 1A aims to create a more balanced playing field, but also raises questions about the long-term viability of the Rural classification.