High school football in California begins on different dates across the state’s ten sections. The North Section has the earliest start with fall camps opening on Monday. Below are the key dates that are posted on each section’s website.
Everything leads up to the northern and southern state regional bowl games will be played December 6-7. The state championships will be played December 13-14.
2024 Key Dates in California
Central Coast Section
- First practice – August 9
- First games – August 29
- Playoffs begin – November 15-16
- Section Championships – November 29-30
Central Section
- First practice – August 5
- First games – August 21
- Regular season ends – November 1
- Section Championships – TBD
LA City Section
- First practice – August 5
- First games – August 16
- Regular season ends – November 2
- Championships – November 23 in 8-Man; November 29-30 in 11-man
Northern Section
- First practice – July 29 in 11-man; August 5 in 8-man
- First games – August 23 in 11-man; August 30 in 8-man
- Regular season ends – November 1 in 8-man; November 8 in 11-man
- Championships – TBD
North Coast Section
- First practice – August 12
- First games – August 23 or August 28
- Regular season ends – November 9
- Championships – TBD
Oakland Section
Sac-Joaquin Section
- First practice – August 5
- First games – August 23
- Regular season ends – November 2
- Section Championships – TBD
San Diego Section
- First practice – August 1
- First games – August 22
- Regular season ends – November 2
- Playoffs begin – November 8
- Championships November 22-23 in Open, V, V:AA and VI; November 29-30 – Divisions I, II, III, IV
San Francisco Section
Southern Section
- First practice – August 5 in 11-man; August 12 in 8-man
- First games – August 23 in 11-man; August 30 in 8-man
- End of regular season – November 1-2
- Playoffs begin – November 8
- Section Championships – November 29-30
