24-Week Season Guidelines
Link to NAIA Bylaws
Each sport is allowed 24 weeks between August 1st and May 15th of each academic year for practice and competition. Each team is permitted three break periods within this 24-week season, which include scheduled institutional breaks if no practice or competition is conducted.
Key Points:
- One practice in a week counts as one full week.
- Teams are not required to use all three break periods.
- A break is defined as any week (Monday-Sunday) or series of weeks with no practice or competition.
- Limitations on practice hours and days per week are determined by each member institution.
- Practice activities between May 16-July 31 are regulated by each member institution.
Start Here
Basics of the 24-Week Season
Foundational overview: what the 24-week season is, when it applies, what counts, and key definitions.
Overview & Definitions Read article →
The 2025-2026 Start Dates for all sports can be found here. Full bylaw language found here.
- Maximum 24-week practice and competition season per sport, set by each member institution.
- Applicable period: August 1 to May 15 (with applicable start dates).
- Frequency of play, practice, and scheduling policies apply only within this period.
- Start date is the earliest possible date for any activity considered a practice or competition; teams may choose a later date.
- Scrimmages and exhibitions are excluded from the start date for competitions.
- Outside the August 1 to May 15 period, play, practice, and scheduling are governed by each member institution and not regulated by the NAIA.
- No more than three break periods during the 24 weeks.
- NAIA-approved postseason participation is not counted as part of the 24-week period.
- A week is defined as Monday (12:00 a.m.) to Sunday (11:59 p.m.).
- Any practice or competition within this week constitutes one of the 24 permitted weeks.
Basics of Frequency of Play & Scheduling
Limits on contests, what counts toward frequency of play, and managing load in compliance with NAIA rules.
Frequency of Play Scheduling Read article →
Looking for more? Browse the full list of 24-Week Season articles on the Interpretations & Bylaw Applications site.
2025-2026 Season Start Dates (by Sport)
Sport-by-sport schedule for practices, scrimmages, exhibitions, and competition. Crucial for calendar planning.
Calendar By Sport View dates →
Break Periods
Approved Ruling: A break is any week Monday (12:00 a.m.) through Sunday (11:59 p.m.) or series of consecutive weeks in which no practice or competition occurs. Scheduled breaks for the institution that meet the definition (such as Christmas vacation) must be counted as one of the three allowable breaks if no practice or competition occurs.
In the event of a natural disaster, see: Practice and Competition Breaks During Natural Disasters
Postseason Exemption Read article → NAIA-approved postseason →
Practice During Postseason:
Practice activities after the deadline for conferenceor unaffiliated grouping competition and before a team’s final contest in NAIA-approved postseason do not count towards the team’s 24-week season. Teams not selected for NAIA-approved postseason must count any postseason practice activities towards their 24-week season. Prior to the start of NAIA postseason play, any practice must be counted in the 24-week season.
Example: If an NAIA University men’s basketball team practices on Monday before their conference championship tournament starts on Tuesday, Monday’s practice must be counted in the 24-week season because the NAIA postseason tournament has not yet begun.
Key Points:
- Practice and competition during NAIA-approved postseason do not count towards the 24-week season.
- Competitions in NAIA-approved postseason do not count towards a team’s frequency of play limits.
- Teams eliminated from NAIA postseason must count any subsequent practice activities in their 24-week season.
