There will be a handful of changes coming to El Paso high school sports after release of the University Interscholastic League’s realignment plan for 2026-28.
The UIL, the governing body of high school sports, conducts realignment every two years based on student enrollment. The new plan was released Monday, Feb. 2.
Andress moves down to Class 4A
The Eagles moved down from Class 5A to Class 4A. Andress have an a reported enrollment of 1,272 students.
Andress will now be in a district with Austin, Riverside, Ysleta, San Elizario for football in Division 1.
The other Class 4A district will consist of Clint, Mountain View, Bowie, Irvin and Fabens in Division 2.
UIL football realignment: Class 5A changes
In Class 5A, Division 1, Horizon, Americas, Bel Air, El Dorado, Hanks and Parkland make up the district. Hanks and Horizon join the district after playing the last two years in Class 5A, Division 2.
A big difference for the next two years is that Americas, Bel Air, El Dorado and Parkland don’t have to play each other twice in district play. Each team will now just play one district game.
In Class, 5A, Division 2, the teams are Canutillo, Burges, Chapin, El Paso High, Del Valle and Jefferson.
No change to Class 6A
The District 1-6a remains the same with Franklin, Coronado, Eastlake, Montwood, Pebble Hills, Socorro and Eastwood.
State enrollments for each class
Class 1A-5A Football Division I and Division II Numbers
What Andress football coach Chris Taylor and Hanks coach Scott Veliz said
“We’re excited for all the sports programs,” Andress football coach Chris Taylor said. “We’ll be playing at our enrollment level, it’ll be very competitive in Class 4A.”
Added Veliz: “Were excited to go to Class 5A, Division 1. I thought it was best for our program. There are some good teams in our new district. With 12 teams in Class 5A in El Paso, there was talk of making the two districts six and six and it worked out.”
Tornillo football update
Tornillo did not have a full season in 2024 and 2025 and will not have a full season in 2026 and 2027. Head coach Luis Vega said the team looks to play an independent schedule of seven games in the fall of 2026.
Vega said the program has 23 players, but he wants to get that number above 30 before playing a full schedule. Vega said he hopes to be back playing a full 10-game regular season schedule in 2028.
Tornillo competes in Class 3A in all other programs.
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Texas UIL district realignment: How are El Paso high schools affected?
Reporting by Felix F. Chavez, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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