By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal

UIL realignment is here.

On Monday morning, the University Interscholastic League will release new athletic districts for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 school years, officially locking in the competitive landscape across the Austin-San Antonio metroplex for the next two seasons.

The mechanics of realignment are familiar.

Enrollment numbers and classification cutoffs were set months ago. What remains is the most consequential step: how the UIL groups schools into districts, a decision that determines rivalries, travel demands and playoff paths.

District alignments are expected to be released at 9 a.m. Monday morning on the UIL’s official site. Coaches will meet almost immediately afterward to begin shaping non-district schedules.

An appeals window will follow, though meaningful changes are uncommon. In most cases, Monday’s release becomes the framework schools operate within for the next two seasons.

The Austin Sports Journal’s preview stories

With UIL realignment set for Feb. 2, Leander ISD’s five Class 6A schools could reshape district lines across the Austin-San Antonio area. Here are the top scenarios.

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January 26, 2026, 12:11 PMJanuary 26, 2026, 3:52 PM

All eyes on Class 6A

Class 6A sits at the top of this realignment cycle, and its effects ripple downward.

Enrollment cutoffs already forced several area schools to the edge of classification lines, while continued growth in Leander ISD and surrounding districts has created pressure points that will likely make the area’s 6A districts look significantly different. The key storyline to watch is how Westlake and Lake Travis’ placement impacts the area. Our prediction is that the two schools land with the five Leander ISD schools – Vandegrift, Cedar Park, Leander, Rouse and Vista Ridge.

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The Austin Sports Journal will have full coverage once districts are released Monday, including immediate reaction, classification-by-classification breakdowns, winners and losers and deeper analysis of what the changes mean across the Austin-San Antonio metroplex. Follow us on X and Instagram

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