Realignment: NMAA alters football landscape with new districts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New Mexico high school football is going to look a lot different the next two seasons (2026-27) than it did the past two years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The NMAA approved &nbsp;new districts at their annual early December meeting on Thursday, establishing 16-team districts in Classes 6A, 5A and 4A, a 17-team Class 3A and a mammoth 24-team Class 2A with three eight-team districts. Every team in Classes 6A-4A will have seven district games and three non-district games over the next two seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some of the highlights of the realignment:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-- La Cueva was shifted into District 6A-1, joining Cleveland and Rio Rancho. Class 6A was narrowed from three districts to two.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-- Volcano Vista and Eldorado were moved into District 6A-2, where they will compete with the large, southern-based schools such as Las Cruces, Centennial and Hobbs. Both the Hawks and Eagles face significantly increased travel time and costs over the next two seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-- Cibola, Los Lunas, Piedra Vista and Santa Fe moved to Class 5A and joins District 5A-1. Alamogordo and Chaparral also moved to Class 5A and was placed in District 5A-2, where they will compete with Artesia, Roswell, &nbsp;Goddard, Gadsden and others.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-- Del Norte, Rio Grande and Valley moved to Class 4A and will compete in District 4A-1. Belen, Lovington and Santa Teresa moved from Class 5A and will join District 4A-2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-- Class 3A was narrowed from three districts to two. Aztec, Kirtland Central, &nbsp;Moriarty and Silver moved to Class 3A. Hope Christian shifted from the St. Michael's/Robertson district to the southern based district. Class 3A will have 17 schools because powerful St. Michael's has opted (again) to play up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-- Class 2A grows from 17 to 24 schools. Crownpoint, Shiprock, Tohatchi and Zuni moved from Class 3A and will join District 2A-1. Dexter, the Class 3A runners-up the past two seasons, moves to 2A and will compete in District 2A-3, a potentially monster district with Eunice, Texico, Loving and Jal. Santa Fe Indian ends its two-year run as an independent by joining District 2A-2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2075705,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/12/20251205_1513182.jpg?w=414" alt="" class="wp-image-2075705" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2075706,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/12/20251205_1509282.jpg?w=532" alt="" class="wp-image-2075706" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->