It seems like every time you turn on the TV to watch a major sporting event lately, it’s in California.
The Golden State recently has welcomed, or is preparing to host, editions of the World Series, College Football Playoff, Super Bowl, X Games, NBA All-Star Weekend and FIFA World Cup, along with the next Summer Olympics down the road in 2028.
And that’s the just the top tier.
But over the next two weekends, the spotlight belongs to the state’s top high school wrestlers, who are nearing the end of their quests for championship glory in 2026.
The final destination in their GPS units is Bakersfield, California, which will be hosting the California Interscholastic Federation Wrestling Championships over the last two days of February, but they’ve all got important stops to make first.
Across California on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20-21, will be the sectional events they first must excel at, before they can wrestle for this year’s state titles, and that includes the 2026 Central Coast Section Masters on Feb. 21.
Oh, and every minute of the CCS showdown at Watsonville High School in Watsonville, California, boys and girls, will be broadcast live on FloWrestling and the FloSports app.
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The Central Coast competitors are a week removed from rumbling their way through the regional round, from which only a limited number of athletes advanced.
From the North Regional, eight boys and six girls from each weight class will get to see their seasons continue.
At the South Regional, eight boys and 10 girls from each weight class advanced to the CCS Masters.
Each weight class at the Masters event will feature a 16-person bracket, and by the time the day is done, only four boys and four girls in each will get to represent the Central Coast Section at the state tournament.
In all, California includes 10 geographic sections that all are enduring the same challenges in February on their way to the 2026 CIF State Wrestling Championships presented by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.
The state event will be held Feb. 26-28 at Dignity Health Arena in centrally located Bakersfield, California.
As you get settled in for the next step of the championship season, here's everything you need to know about the 2026 CIF CCS Wrestling Championships (CCS Masters), including a link to the brackets:
What Are The Weight Classes In California High School Wrestling?
In Pounds
- Boys: 108 115 122 128 134 140 146 152 159 167 177 192 217 287
- Girls: 102 107 112 117 122 127 132 137 142 147 157 172 192 237
NOTE: The additional 2-pound growth allowance has been added to these weight classes. According to NFHS rules, wrestlers will be given one pound for the second day weigh-in.
2026 Central Coast Section Wrestling Championships Brackets
Here’s where you’ll be able to find the brackets for the 2026 CCS Wrestling Championships:
How To Watch The 2026 CCS Wrestling Championships (CCS Masters)
Live coverage of the 2026 CCS Wrestling Championships on Feb. 21 will be broadcast on FloWrestling and the FloSports app, with news, notes, stats and more available on both platforms.
Archives will be available immediately following the conclusion of each match.
If you’re going to be in the area and want to catch the action in person, go to this page for spectator and ticket information.
Tickets for adults are $12, senior citizens/high school students/children 6 and over are $5 and children 5 and under are free.
How Many Wrestlers From Each Section Advance To The State Tournament?
Here’s a look at how many athletes from each section, per weight class, will advance to the state event:
Boys
- Southern Section: 10
- Central Section: 10
- Sac-Joaquin Section: 5
- North Coast Section: 2
- Central Coast Section: 4
- San Diego Section: 4*
- Northern Section: 2
- Los Angeles Section: 1
- Oakland Section: 1
- San Francisco Section: 1
*San Diego Section will fill any voids left vacant by the Oakland Section.
Girls
- Southern Section: 8
- Central Section: 5
- Sac-Joaquin Section: 5
- Northern Section: 2
- North Coast Section: 3
- Central Coast Section: 4
- San Diego Section: 3
- Los Angeles Section: 2
Read more about the 2025 state meet: 2025 CIF California State Wrestling Championship Results And Brackets
2026 CIF Central Coast Section Wrestling Championships Schedule
Here’s a look at when everything is going down in California:
All Times Pacific
Saturday, Feb. 21
- 7 a.m. – Boys weigh-ins
- 7:30 a.m. – Girls weigh-ins
- 8:15 a.m. – Coaches’ meeting (small gym)
- 9 a.m. – Wrestling begins (nine mats)
*Wrestling will continue until only the champions remain!
The finals will take place approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of the medal rounds.
When Is The 2026 CIF Wrestling Championships?
The 2026 CIF Wrestling Championships presented by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association will be held Feb. 26-28 at Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield, California.
Did You Know: High School Championship Wrestling In California Spans Five Decades
The first CIF state championship for boys was held in 1973. The first event for the girls took place in 2011.
Amazingly, it took three decades for California to see its first four-time state champion. That honor went to Bakersfield’s Darrell Vasquez from 1999-2002 at 103, 112, 119 and 125 pounds. In the years since, three more athletes have added their names to the list.
There are 24 three-time champions and 83 wrestlers who have won twice.
On the girls side, five wrestlers own three CIF state titles.
Clovis tops the list of all-time team titles with 13, while the Selma girls lead the way with three.
The Central Section Division IV boys tournament first was held during the 2021-2022 season.
2025-2026 FloWrestling High School Wrestling Rankings
Top 20 as of Feb, 18, 2026
Curious about how the top wrestlers from each state stack up against competitors from across the country?
Click here to see the latest high school rankings from FloWrestling.
Throwback: Laird Root Upsets Three-time California State Champion Miguel Estrada
We’re throwing it back to the boys 150-pound semifinals at the 2024 CIF Wrestling Championships.
How many instant classics will we see in 2026?
Trackwrestling Has Joined The New FloWrestling
Trackwrestling officially has merged with FloWrestling, bringing its powerful tournament tracking tools and live data into a modern, all-in-one platform.
Fans can follow every bout with pro-grade brackets, mat schedules, team rosters and detailed wrestler profiles—all seamlessly integrated within FloWrestling.
This move delivers a faster, smarter and more connected experience for the wrestling community. Through the updated FloSports app, users can track live results, explore brackets and even sign up for free alerts so they never miss a match.
FloWrestling Archived Footage
Video footage from all events on FloWrestling will be archived and stored in a video library for FloWrestling subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.
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