The high school football season is getting closer for Western North Carolina.
The NCHSAA regular season will kick off on Aug. 21 and run through Oct. 30, with the playoffs starting on Nov. 6. The top eight seeds in each bracket will receive byes, leading to the state championships Dec. 10-12.
Bookmark this page to see all the area’s top matchups and when they take place as WNC schools release their 2026 football schedules.
Here are the schedules that have been announced for the 2026 WNC football season.
Andrews
Aug. 21 – vs. Madison
Aug. 28 – vs. Smoky Mountain
Sept. 4 – at Mitchell
Sept. 11 – at Anderson (South Carolina)
Sept. 18 – vs. Swain County
Sept. 25 – vs. Robbinsville
Oct. 2 – Open
Oct. 9 – at Rosman
Oct. 16 – at Murphy
Oct. 23 – at Cherokee
Oct. 30 – vs. Hayesville
Asheville Christian Academy
Aug. 14 – vs. Spartanburg Day
Aug. 21 – vs. Spartanburg Christian
Aug. 28 – at Lakeway Christian
Sept. 4 – at Avery County
Sept. 11 – vs. SouthLake Christian
Sept. 18 – vs. Copper Basin (Tennessee)
Sept. 25 – Open
Oct. 2 – vs Kings Academy
Oct. 9 – at Harrell’s Christian
Oct. 16 – vs. Grace Christian
Oct. 23 – at Greenville Hurricanes
Oct. 30 – Open
Asheville High
Aug. 21 – at East Rutherford
Aug. 28 – vs. Dobyns-Bennett (Tennessee)
Sept. 4 – vs. Crest
Sept. 11 – vs. Asheville School
Sept. 18 – Open
Sept. 25 – at Watauga
Oct. 2 – at Roberson
Oct. 9 – vs. Reynolds
Oct. 16 – at Erwin
Oct. 23 – at North Buncombe
Oct. 30 – vs. Enka
Asheville School
Aug. 21 – at Corvian Community
Aug. 28 – vs. Webb (Tennessee)
Sept. 4 – Open
Sept. 11 – at Asheville High
Sept. 18 – at Charlotte Country Day
Sept. 26 – at Christ School (100th edition of The Game)
Oct. 2 – Open
Oct. 9 – vs. High Point Christian
Oct. 16 – vs. Covenant Day
Oct. 23 – at SouthLake Christian Academy
Oct. 30 – vs. Ambassador Christian
Brevard
Aug. 21 – at Reynolds
Aug. 28 – Open
Sept. 4 – vs. Erwin
Sept. 11 – at North Buncombe
Sept. 18 – vs. Franklin
Sept. 25 – at North Henderson
Oct. 2 – at Smoky Mountain
Oct. 9 – vs. East Henderson
Oct. 16 – vs. West Henderson
Oct. 23 – vs. Tuscola
Oct. 30 – at Pisgah
Cherokee
Aug. 21 – at North Buncombe
Aug. 28 – at Tuscola
Sept. 4 – vs. Choctaw Central (Miss.)
Sept. 11 – vs. Enka
Sept. 18 – at Rosman
Sept. 25 – at Murphy
Oct. 2 – vs. Hayesville
Oct. 9 – Open
Oct. 16 – vs. Swain County
Oct. 23 – vs. Andrews
Oct. 30 – at Robbinsville
Christ School
Aug. 22 – vs. Carolina Mavericks (South Carolina)
Aug. 28 – at East Rutherford
Sept. 4 – at Harrells Christian
Sept. 12 – vs. North Cross School (Virginia)
Sept. 18 – vs. Charlotte Latin
Sept. 26 – vs. Asheville School (100th edition of The Game)
Oct. 2 – Open
Oct. 9 – vs. Charlotte Christian
Oct. 16 – vs. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Georgia)
Oct. 23 – at Metrolina Christian
Oct. 30 – at Cannon School
East Henderson
Aug. 21 – at Hendersonville
Aug. 28 – vs. Madison
Sept. 4 – vs. Rosman
Sept. 11 – vs. Franklin
Sept. 18 – at Smoky Mountain
Sept. 25 – vs. West Henderson
Oct. 2 – at North Henderson
Oct. 9 – at Brevard
Oct. 16 – Open
Oct. 23 – vs. Pisgah
Oct. 30 – at Tuscola
Enka
Aug. 21 – vs. North Henderson
Aug. 28 – vs. Hayesville
Sept. 4 – at Pisgah
Sept. 11 – at Cherokee
Sept. 18 – vs. McDowell
Sept. 25 – Open
Oct. 2 – at North Buncombe
Oct. 9 – vs. Erwin
Oct. 16 – at Roberson
Oct. 23 – vs. Reynolds
Oct. 30 – at Asheville High
Erwin
Aug. 21 – vs. West Henderson
Aug. 28 – at Mountain Heritage
Sept. 4 – at Brevard
Sept. 11 – vs. Hendersonville
Sept. 18 – at Watauga
Sept. 25 – Open
Oct. 2 – vs. Reynolds
Oct. 9 – at Enka
Oct. 16 – vs. Asheville High
Oct. 23 – at Roberson
Oct. 30 – vs. North Buncombe
Franklin
Aug. 21 – at Murphy
Aug. 28 – vs. Robbinsville
Sept. 4 – vs. Swain County
Sept. 11 – at East Henderson
Sept. 18 – at Brevard
Sept. 25 – vs. Pisgah
Oct. 2 – at Tuscola
Oct. 9 – vs. North Henderson
Oct. 16 – Open
Oct. 23 – at Smoky Mountain
Oct. 30 – vs. West Henderson
Hayesville
Aug. 21 – at Towns County (Georgia)
Aug. 28 – at Enka
Sept. 4 – vs. Copper Basin (Tennessee)
Sept. 11 – at Georgia Force Christian
Sept. 18 – vs. Robbinsville
Sept. 25 – vs. Rosman
Oct. 2 – at Cherokee
Oct. 9 – at Swain County
Oct. 16 – Open
Oct. 23 – vs. Murphy
Oct. 30 – at Andrews
Hendersonville
Aug. 21 – vs. East Henderson
Aug. 28 – at West Henderson
Sept. 4 – vs. North Henderson
Sept. 11 – at Erwin
Sept. 18 – at Mitchell
Sept. 25 – Open
Oct. 2 – at Madison
Oct. 9 – vs. Owen
Oct. 16 – vs. Avery County
Oct. 23 – at Mountain Heritage
Oct. 30 – vs. Polk County
Mitchell
Aug. 21 – at Charlotte Latin
Aug. 28 – at McDowell
Sept. 4 – vs. Andrews
Sept. 11 – vs. Robbinsville
Sept. 18 – vs. Hendersonville
Sept. 25 – at Polk County
Oct. 2 – vs. Owen
Oct. 9 – Open
Oct. 16 – vs. Mountain Heritage
Oct. 23 – at Madison
Oct. 30 – at Avery County
Mountain Heritage
Aug. 21 – at Pisgah
Aug. 28 – vs. Erwin
Sept. 4 – at Robbinsville
Sept. 11 – vs. Swain County
Sept. 18 – Open
Sept. 25 – vs. Madison
Oct. 2 – at Polk County
Oct. 9 – vs. Avery County
Oct. 16 – at Mitchell
Oct. 23 – vs. Hendersonville
Oct. 30 – at Owen
Murphy
Aug. 21 – vs. Franklin
Aug. 28 – Open
Sept. 4 – at East Surry
Sept. 11 – vs. Reynolds
Sept. 18 – at Westside (South Carolina)
Sept. 25 – vs. Cherokee
Oct. 2 – at Rosman
Oct. 9 – at Robbinsville
Oct. 16 – vs. Andrews
Oct. 23 – at Hayesville
Oct. 30 – vs. Swain County
North Buncombe
Aug. 21 – vs. Cherokee
Aug. 28 – at Rosman
Sept. 4 – at Madison
Sept. 11 – vs. Brevard
Sept. 18 – Open
Sept. 25 – at McDowell
Oct. 2 – vs. Enka
Oct. 9 – vs. Roberson
Oct. 16 – at Reynolds
Oct. 23 – vs. Asheville High
Oct. 30 – at Erwin
North Henderson
Aug. 21 – at Enka
Aug. 28 – vs. R-S Central
Sept. 4 – at Hendersonville
Sept. 11 – vs. Tuscola
Sept. 18 – at Pisgah
Sept. 25 – vs. Brevard
Oct. 2 – vs. East Henderson
Oct. 9 – at Franklin
Oct. 16 – Open
Oct. 23 – at West Henderson
Oct. 30 – vs. Smoky Mountain
Owen
Aug. 21 – at Rosman
Aug. 28 – vs. Cherryville
Sept. 4 – vs. Patton
Sept. 11 – at West Henderson
Sept. 18 – vs. Polk County
Sept. 25 – vs. Avery County
Oct. 2 – at Mitchell
Oct. 9 – at Hendersonville
Oct. 16 – at Madison
Oct. 23 – Open
Oct. 30 – vs. Mountain Heritage
Pisgah
Aug. 21 – vs. Mountain Heritage
Aug. 28 – at Swain County
Sept. 4 – vs. Enka
Sept. 11 – at Smoky Mountain
Sept. 18 – vs. North Henderson
Sept. 25 – at Franklin
Oct. 2 – vs. West Henderson
Oct. 9 – vs. Tuscola
Oct. 16 – Open
Oct. 23 – at East Henderson
Oct. 30 – vs. Brevard
Polk County
Aug. 21 – at Chase
Aug. 28 – at Newton-Conover
Sept. 4 – vs. Landrum (South Carolina)
Sept. 11 – vs. Patton
Sept. 18 – at Owen
Sept. 25 – vs. Mitchell
Oct. 2 – vs. Mountain Heritage
Oct. 9 – vs. Madison
Oct. 16 – Open
Oct. 23 – at Avery County
Oct. 30 – at Hendersonville
Reynolds
Aug. 21 – vs. Brevard
Aug. 28 – vs. Maiden
Sept. 4 – at J.M. Robinson
Sept. 11 – at Murphy
Sept. 18 – vs. Freedom
Sept. 25 – Open
Oct. 2 – at Erwin
Oct. 9 – at Asheville High
Oct. 16 – vs. North Buncombe
Oct. 23 – at Enka
Oct. 30 – vs. Roberson
Robbinsville
Aug. 21 – at Tuscola
Aug. 28 – at Franklin
Sept. 4 – vs. Mountain Heritage
Sept. 11 – at Mitchell
Sept. 18 – at Hayesville
Sept. 25 – at Andrews
Oct. 2 – at Swain County
Oct. 9 – vs. Murphy
Oct. 16 – vs. Rosman
Oct. 23 – Open
Oct. 30 – vs. Cherokee
Rosman
Aug. 21 – vs. Owen
Aug. 28 – vs. North Buncombe
Sept. 4 – at East Henderson
Sept. 11 – at Copper Basin (Tennessee)
Sept. 18 – vs. Cherokee
Sept. 25 – at Hayesville
Oct. 2 – vs. Murphy
Oct. 9 – vs. Andrews
Oct. 16 – at Robbinsville
Oct. 23 – at Swain County
Oct. 30 – Open
Smoky Mountain
Aug. 21 – at Swain County
Aug. 28 – at Andrews
Sept. 4 – vs. Forestview
Sept. 11 – vs. Pisgah
Sept. 18 – vs. East Henderson
Sept. 25 – at Tuscola
Oct. 2 – vs. Brevard
Oct. 9 – at West Henderson
Oct. 16 – Open
Oct. 23 – vs. Franklin
Oct. 30 – at North Henderson
Swain County
Aug. 21 – vs. Smoky Mountain
Aug. 28 – vs. Pisgah
Sept. 4 – at Franklin
Sept. 11 – at Mountain Heritage
Sept. 18 – at Andrews
Sept. 25 – Open
Oct. 2 – vs. Robbinsville
Oct. 9 – vs. Hayesville
Oct. 16 – at Cherokee
Oct. 23 – vs. Rosman
Oct. 30 – at Murphy
Tuscola
Aug. 21 – vs. Robbinsville
Aug. 28 – vs. Cherokee
Sept. 4 – at South Caldwell
Sept. 11 – at North Henderson
Sept. 18 – at West Henderson
Sept. 25 – vs. Smoky Mountain
Oct. 2 – vs. Franklin
Oct. 9 – at Pisgah
Oct. 16 – Open
Oct. 23 – at Brevard
Oct. 30 – vs. East Henderson
West Henderson
Aug. 21 – at Erwin
Aug. 28 – vs. Hendersonville
Sept. 4 – Open
Sept. 11 – vs. Owen
Sept. 18 – vs. Tuscola
Sept. 25 – at East Henderson
Oct. 2 – at Pisgah
Oct. 9 – vs. Smoky Mountain
Oct. 16 – at Brevard
Oct. 23 – vs. North Henderson
Oct. 30 – at Franklin
Evan Gerike is the high school sports reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times. Email him at egerike@citizentimes.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @EvanGerike.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: See schedules for 2026 WNC high school football season