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High school athletics will look much different in North Carolina starting with the 2025-26 school year.

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted Wednesday to move to eight classifications when the Association holds its next realignment of member schools.

The NCHSAA currently has four classifications, but members recently voted to limit classes to no more than 64 schools. That would mean moving to seven classes to accommodate the 440 schools that are current or pending NCHSAA members.

But the NCHSAA’s realignment committee recommended moving to eight classes rather than seven to provide room for future growth. At seven classes, the Association would already be approaching the need to expand.

The Board of Directors voted unanimously Wednesday to approve that recommendation.

The next realignment of schools will be based solely on enrollment numbers compiled during the 2024-25 school year.