NFHS wrestling rule changes for 2026-27
The NFHS announced the 2026-27 high school wrestling rule changes on April 16, 2026 (NFHS). Three of them matter for making weight:
- Girls minimum body fat goes from 12% to 19%. Your minimum weight is worked out at the body fat floor, so a higher floor means a higher lowest allowed weight for many girls. Boys stay at 7%.
- Team weigh-ins are allowed. Where it is more practical, a team can weigh in together.
- Byes no longer count as a match. They do not count toward the limit of six matches a day or 10 over a two-day event.
Your state still has to adopt and run these rules, so check your state page. A few state handbooks posted before the change still show the old 12% figure for girls, and we note that on those pages.
What the 19% rule means for your minimum weight
Minimum weight is your fat-free weight divided by one minus the body fat floor. Take a girl who weighs 130 lb at 22% body fat. Her fat-free weight is 101.4 lb. At the old 12% floor her minimum was about 115.2 lb. At the new 19% floor it is about 125.2 lb, so 120 or 125 is no longer reachable that season. Run your own numbers in the weight certification calculator, which uses the 2026-27 floor.
Weight classes for 2026-27
The class sets did not change: states still choose a 12, 13 or 14 class set for boys and for girls (NFHS). Find your state's exact list and growth allowance date in the weight class finder, or compare sports on the weight classes page.
Your 2026-27 season checklist
- Get your hydration and body fat assessment early, before you set a goal class.
- Pick a class at or above your certified minimum that you can make while eating and training normally.
- Plan your drop at no more than 1.5% of body weight per week with the descent plan calculator.
- Write down your state's growth allowance date. It changes what you need to weigh later in the season.
- Plan for the holiday break: time off from practice makes it easy to drift well above your class.
The guide to cutting weight for wrestling covers each step in detail.