ORLANDO, Fla. (Nov. 6, 2026) — The waiting is over. The Florida High School Athletic Association released its 2026 football playoff brackets Friday evening, and all 10 Orange County programs on ESOne Sports Media’s playoff watch list are officially in the postseason.
Six teams represent Orange County in Class 6A, with Evans in 5A, Jones and Bishop Moore in 4A, and The First Academy in 2A. The opening round is set for Friday, November 13, and the brackets deliver two immediate county-versus-county showdowns.
6A: Two local showdowns headline the bracket
In Region 2, Edgewater hosts Ocoee and West Orange hosts Dr. Phillips, guaranteeing that at least two Orange County teams advance from those pairings while two others see their seasons end. Elsewhere in the region, Lake Nona hosts East Ridge.
Winter Park hosts Mainland in Region 1. The Wildcats are the only Orange County team from this watch list competing in that region, with the rest of the county’s 6A entrants concentrated in Region 2.
5A: Evans opens at home
Evans will host Bartram Trail in the Region 1 quarterfinals. The Trojans carry their postseason hopes into a home opener against an opponent from outside Central Florida. A win would move Evans one step closer to a regional title.
4A: Jones and Bishop Moore draw home games
Both Orange County 4A programs open in front of their home crowds. Jones hosts Lake Weir, while Bishop Moore hosts River Ridge in Region 2. The two programs are on the same regional side of the playoff picture, but would have to advance through the bracket before any potential meeting.
2A: The First Academy stays in the traditional bracket
The First Academy hosts Calvary Christian in the Class 2A Region 2 opener. The Royals were part of the conversation surrounding the new eight-team Open Division, but the finalized pairings place them in the traditional 2A championship race.
Orange County’s confirmed first-round matchups
- 6A: Mainland at Winter Park
- 6A: Dr. Phillips at West Orange
- 6A: Ocoee at Edgewater
- 6A: East Ridge at Lake Nona
- 5A: Bartram Trail at Evans
- 4A: River Ridge at Bishop Moore
- 4A: Lake Weir at Jones
- 2A: Calvary Christian at The First Academy
Those eight games involve all 10 Orange County schools on ESOne’s list. With two all-county matchups and seven of the eight games being hosted by Orange County schools, local fans will have plenty to follow when the regional quarterfinals kick off next Friday.
See the FHSAA’s official 2026 football bracket hub for bracket updates and championship information. Matchups are confirmed; kickoff times should be checked with the participating schools.
