Wrestling Comments on the Rules - 2026-27

BY NFHS ON August 13, 2026 | RULES, WRESTLING

Modified Weight-Control Program for Girls (1-5-1,1-5-2) — Based upon research data, increasing the body fat percentage for high school girls establishes a safer margin for minimal wrestling weight for those intent on certifying at a lower weight class.

Wrestlers’ Appearance and Health (4-2-6) — Establishes a comprehensive and intentional description of what is allowed with intraoral tooth and mouth protectors.

Wrestlers’ Appearance and Health (4-5-1) — Provides consistency between individual and team format events. It gives the host school latitude to be more practical and efficient. This option is appreciated if entering weights live into a weight management system.

Stalling (Rule 5 and Rule 7) (5-24-4b, 7-6-3) — Clarifies when a certain hold is applied, wrestlers, coaches and fans are aware of the potential stalling situation. This is an education-based rule change to clarify the different elements of stalling when called on the edge of the mat.

Time-Out (5-28-3) — This clarifies when a wrestler who is injured because of an illegal hold/maneuver, unnecessary roughness or unsportsmanlike conduct during a match or a result of a false start by the opponent begins to bleed.

Injury (8-2-7) — This clarifies when a wrestler who is injured because of an illegal hold/ maneuver, unnecessary roughness or unsportsmanlike conduct during a match or a result of a false start by the opponent begins to bleed.

Representation, Definitions, Individually Bracketed Tournaments (1-4-3, 5-3-1, 5-3-2, 5-3-3, 5-3-4, 5-3-5 and 10-3-1, 10-3-2, 10-3-3, 10-3-4 and 10-3-5) — Modifies the rule due to the increased use of tournament management software systems, scramble-style tournaments and round-robin pools that require wrestlers to advance to a (championship and consolation) side of the bracket. Byes do exist after the first round, and this language incorporates this practice.

Official Wrestling Signals — Modified to better describe the different elements of stalling when called on the edge of the mat.