UIL Texas · 6A Conference · 2026

2026 UIL TEXAS 6A
SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS

Bracket format, schedule, and how the playoffs work

LIVE BRACKET
Full D1 & D2 bracket — real-time scores and results for all 128 teams
VIEW BRACKET →
RESULTS
Completed series scores from every round of the 2026 playoffs
SEE RESULTS →
SCHEDULE
Upcoming game times, sites, and matchups for both divisions
VIEW SCHEDULE →
The Format

HOW THE UIL 6A SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS WORK

The UIL (University Interscholastic League) runs the largest high school softball tournament in the country. The 6A classification — Texas's highest — stages two simultaneous 64-team brackets each spring, one for Division 1 and one for Division 2. Every series is best-of-3, meaning the first team to win two games advances. The full bracket runs approximately five weeks from the opening Bi-District round through the State Final in late May.

1
BI-DISTRICT
64 teams → 32 advance
Best-of-3 series
Higher seed hosts
~APR 22–24, 2026
2
AREA ROUND
32 teams → 16 advance
Best-of-3 series
Higher seed or neutral site
~APR 29 – MAY 1, 2026
3
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
16 teams → 8 advance
Best-of-3 series
Regional host site
~MAY 6–8, 2026
4
REGIONAL FINAL
8 teams → 4 advance
Best-of-3 series
Regional host site
~MAY 12–15, 2026
5
STATE SEMIFINAL
4 teams → 2 advance
Best-of-3 series
Central Texas state venue
~MAY 29, 2026
6
STATE FINAL
2 teams → 1 champion
Best-of-3 series
Central Texas state venue
~MAY 31, 2026
Best-of-3 format: Every series in the UIL softball playoffs is best-of-3. The first team to win 2 games advances. If a team sweeps games 1 and 2, the series ends — no third game is played. A team must win six consecutive series (up to 18 games) to be crowned state champion.
Two Champions Each Year

DIVISION 1 vs. DIVISION 2 — WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

UIL divides 6A schools into two divisions based on student enrollment. The two divisions run completely separate brackets from Bi-District through the State Final, crowning two independent state champions every spring.

DIVISION 1
Largest Enrollment Schools
64
Teams in Bracket

Division 1 contains 6A schools with the largest student enrollments in Texas. These are typically the biggest high schools in the state's major metros — Houston, DFW, San Antonio, and the Austin suburbs. The inaugural D1 state champion (2024–25) was Waco Midway, who defeated League City Clear Springs 9–1 in the final.

D1 runs its own complete 64-team bracket. The D1 State Final crowns the Division 1 state champion — an independent title from D2's champion.

DIVISION 2
Smaller 6A Enrollment Schools
64
Teams in Bracket

Division 2 includes 6A schools with slightly smaller enrollments that still meet the 6A classification threshold. The D1/D2 split is new — it was introduced for the 2024–25 season. The inaugural D2 state champion (2024–25) was Humble Kingwood, who defeated Forney 4–1 in the final.

D2 runs an identical 64-team bracket on the same timeline as D1. The D2 State Final crowns its own independent state champion at the same venue, often on the same weekend.

Division assignment: A school's placement in D1 or D2 is set by UIL based on enrollment data before each two-year reclassification cycle. Schools cannot choose their division, and the assignment does not change mid-season. Check uiltexas.org for official division listings.
Earning a Playoff Berth

HOW TEAMS QUALIFY FOR THE UIL SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS

Every team in the UIL 6A softball playoffs earned their spot through district competition during the regular season. There are no at-large bids, no wildcard slots — you either finish in the top two of your district or your season ends.

01
WIN OR FINISH SECOND IN YOUR DISTRICT
Each 6A district sends exactly two teams to the playoffs: the district champion (first place) and the district runner-up (second place). District play typically runs from late February through mid-April. Every game counts toward standings, and tiebreakers can determine which team claims that all-important second-place slot.
02
SEEDING IS ASSIGNED BY UIL
UIL assigns playoff seeds based on district finish and regional alignment. District champions receive higher seeds within their region than runners-up. Seeds determine home-field advantage for the Bi-District and Area rounds — the higher seed hosts both games 1 and 2 at their home facility, with game 3 (if needed) also at the home site or a designated neutral location.
03
REGIONAL ALIGNMENT SHAPES YOUR PATH
Texas 6A is divided into four geographic regions — Region I (West Texas/El Paso), Region II (Central/North Texas and DFW), Region III (Houston metro), and Region IV (San Antonio and South Texas). Each region sends 16 teams per division to the playoffs. Your regional placement determines which teams you can face in early rounds and which four Regional Final winners advance to the State Semifinal.
04
BRACKET IS PUBLISHED BY UIL
After the district season concludes, UIL publishes the official playoff bracket at uiltexas.org. The bracket is fixed — teams cannot be reseeded mid-tournament. Once published, each team's path to the state championship is set, and every matchup through the Regional Final is determined by the original bracket draw.
Common Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Everything fans, parents, and coaches want to know about how the UIL 6A softball playoffs are structured, scheduled, and decided.

How do the UIL 6A softball playoffs work?
The UIL 6A softball playoffs are a six-round, best-of-3 series tournament split into two divisions — Division 1 and Division 2. Each division fields 64 teams, for a total of 128 schools statewide. The bracket runs from Bi-District (Round 1) through the State Final (Round 6), eliminating half the field each round. Early rounds are hosted by the higher seed; the State Semifinal and State Final are held at a central Texas venue. Two state champions are crowned — one per division — each spring.
How many teams are in the UIL 6A softball playoffs?
There are 128 teams total in the UIL 6A softball playoffs — 64 in Division 1 and 64 in Division 2. Each team earned their berth by finishing first or second in their UIL 6A district during the regular season. There are no at-large bids or wildcard spots: every team in the field won or finished second in their district.
What is the difference between UIL 6A Division 1 and Division 2?
UIL divides 6A schools into Division 1 (larger enrollments) and Division 2 (slightly smaller enrollments) based on official student enrollment data. Both divisions run identical, completely separate 64-team brackets from Bi-District through the State Final. They produce two independent state champions every year. A school's division assignment is determined before the season by UIL's two-year reclassification cycle and cannot change mid-season.
How do teams qualify for the UIL softball playoffs?
Teams qualify by finishing first or second in their UIL 6A district during the regular season. The district champion receives a higher seed; the runner-up receives a lower seed. There are no at-large selections — only the top two teams from each district earn a playoff berth. Seeds determine home-field advantage in the Bi-District and Area rounds. UIL publishes the official bracket once all district seasons conclude.
How many rounds are in the UIL softball playoffs?
There are six rounds: Round 1 — Bi-District (64 teams per division); Round 2 — Area Round (32 teams); Round 3 — Regional Semifinal (16 teams); Round 4 — Regional Final (8 teams); Round 5 — State Semifinal (4 teams); Round 6 — State Final (2 teams). Every round is a best-of-3 series. A state champion must win all six series, which can mean up to 18 games across five to six weeks.
Where is the UIL softball state tournament held?
The UIL Softball State Tournament — the State Semifinal and State Final for all classifications — is held at Red & Charline McCombs Field on the University of Texas at Austin campus (2001 Comal St., Austin, TX 78722). The 2026 State Tournament runs May 28–30, 2026. Both 6A Division 1 and Division 2 semifinals and finals are played at this neutral central-Texas venue.
When do the 2026 UIL softball playoffs start and end?
The 2026 UIL 6A softball playoffs are expected to begin with the Bi-District round around April 22–24. The Area Round follows around April 29–May 1, the Regional Semifinal around May 6–8, and the Regional Final around May 12–15. The State Semifinal is typically held around May 29 and the State Final around May 31. The exact dates are set by UIL and published at uiltexas.org — verify there for official scheduling.
What is a best-of-3 series in UIL softball playoffs?
A best-of-3 series means the first team to win 2 games advances and the other team's season ends. Each series can last 2 or 3 games. If one team wins games 1 and 2, the series ends immediately with no game 3. If each team wins one game, a decisive third game is played to determine the winner. This format is used in every round of the UIL softball playoffs — from Bi-District all the way through the State Final — giving teams the opportunity to recover from a single bad game before being eliminated.
State Champions History

PAST UIL 6A SOFTBALL STATE CHAMPIONS

The Division 1 / Division 2 split was introduced for the 2024–25 season. Before that, 6A crowned a single state champion each year. Recent results from official UIL state brackets:

Year Division State Champion State Runner-Up Final Score
2025 D1 Waco Midway League City Clear Springs 9–1
2025 D2 Humble Kingwood Forney 4–1
2024 6A Denton Guyer Weslaco 5–3 (13 inn.)
2023 6A Pearland San Benito 4–2
2022 6A Northside O'Connor Deer Park 7–5, 7–6
2021 6A Converse Judson Flower Mound 6–2
Note: The Division 1 / Division 2 split began with the 2024–25 season. Years 2021–2024 reflect the single-champion era. Results sourced from official UIL state bracket pages at uiltexas.org/softball/archives.