Participation in high school football shows mixed trends across states

As of 2024, over 1 million students participate in high school football across the U.S., with significant growth in states like Texas and California. Texas boasts the highest participation at 174,126 players, followed by California with 91,411. Conversely, Michigan and Illinois have seen steep declines, losing over 8,000 players each since 2008. A nationwide reduction of 32,221 players occurred from 2018 to 2021, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although participation has rebounded by 2024. States have varying trends and the National Federation of State High School Associations released detailed figures for comparison.

• 1:00 PMYahoo Sports — Is football growing or shrinking in your state? The participation numbers are in