The CIF-Southern Section, which totals over 600 schools, is cancelling the playoffs for the delayed 2020 high school football season that state officials are trying to play in the Spring of 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Today, I must regretfully announce that we are cancelling our 2020-2021 CIF Southern Section Fall Sports Championships due to the COVID pandemic,” said Rob Wigod, CIF-SS Commissioner. “There has not been enough progress made from the purple tier toward the orange tier for football. Subsequently, there will not be sufficient time for those sports to conduct viable league play, which is necessary for us to be able to conduct section championships in those sports.”
CIF Southern Section Update: January 19, 2021
— CIF Southern Section (@CIFSS) January 19, 2021
Fall Sports Championships – Spring Sports Status
In response to this update, we will hold a live press conference today with members of the media on YouTube at 1pm. pic.twitter.com/vDHCQ9dq1H
Read: California moves high school football to 2021
Right now, the CIF’s Fall (2020) sports schedule, which includes football, is scheduled to begin January 25. However, it’s expected that that start date may be moved again in Southern California, because it’s currently under a stay-at-home order in the CIF’s purple tier. The state is using a four-tier system for high school and youth sports during COVID-19 — purple (widespread), red (substantial), orange (moderate) and yellow (minimal). Football can’t begin until a county reaches the orange tier, which two below the current purple stage.
.@CIFState Education-Based Athletics COVID-19 Tier Map (updated 1.12.21) pic.twitter.com/qscrzsb0Ak
— CIF Southern Section (@CIFSS) January 12, 2021
Read: California cancels state championships
If the CIF-SS is able to start football in the Spring, the 11-man regular season will run through April 17, while 8-man programs can play until April 3.
