The 2026 CIAC Girls Soccer State Tournament is officially on, kicking off Friday, November 6, and running all the way through Sunday, November 22. Brackets for Class LL, L, and M just dropped, and trust me, some teams are feeling a whole lot better about their championship chances than others. We’re talking first-round byes that could shape this entire tournament, with games heating up fast, all played at the higher seed’s home turf.
Class LL and L: Top Seeds Get Their Free Ride
In Class LL, the top four seeds are cruising straight into the second round. No. 1 St. Joseph, No. 2 Ridgefield, No. 3 Glastonbury, and No. 4 Greenwich all earned that much-coveted bye. That’s a huge advantage, letting them scout their potential opponents while everyone else battles it out. First-round matchups are going down Friday, November 6, or Saturday, November 7, with all games at 4 p.m. unless something changes. You’ve got No. 28 West Haven traveling to face No. 5 Notre Dame Prep, No. 27 NFA heading to No. 6 Trumbull, and No. 26 Bristol Central taking on No. 7 Amity. Talk about some tough starts for the lower seeds, right?
Over in Class L, it’s a similar story, but with even more teams getting a pass in the first round. Six teams, count ’em, six! No. 1 Simsbury, No. 2 Pomperaug, No. 3 Wethersfield, No. 4 North Haven, No. 5 Newtown, and No. 6 Brookfield are all sitting pretty with a bye. That’s a serious chunk of the top of the bracket getting to rest up. The rest of Class L kicks off their first-round action on the same days, Friday, Nov. 6 or Saturday, Nov. 7, again at 4 p.m. at the higher seed. No. 26 Bullard Havens has a monster task against No. 7 Masuk, and No. 25 University is up against No. 8 Berlin. These early games are going to be absolute grinders.
Class M Byes Could Blow the Bracket Wide Open
Now, if you thought LL and L had some sweet deals, wait until you see Class M. This bracket is WILD with byes! A staggering seven teams get to skip the first round entirely. We’re talking No. 1 East Hampton, No. 2 Tolland, No. 3 Lauralton Hall, No. 4 Suffield, No. 5 New Fairfield, No. 6 Joel Barlow, and No. 7 RHAM. Seriously, seven byes? That’s a massive leg up for those teams, and it totally shifts the pressure onto everyone else. The first round for Class M also hits the pitch Friday, Nov. 6, or Saturday, Nov. 7, at 4 p.m. at the higher seed. You’ve got No. 25 Platt Tech heading to No. 8 Hand, and No. 24 Abbott Tech facing off against No. 9 Granby. These teams are going to have to fight tooth and nail just to get to the next stage, while the top seven watch from the sidelines.
The intensity ramps up quickly after that, with the second round set for Tuesday, November 10. Quarterfinals follow on Friday, November 13, or Saturday, November 14. Then it’s crunch time with the semifinals from Tuesday, November 17, through Thursday, November 19. The ultimate prize, the championship game, will go down Saturday, November 21, or Sunday, November 22. Every single game matters, and with so many top teams getting a head start, the path to the championship is going to be a battle to watch!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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