The 2026 Northwest Conference Football Champions are the Linfield Wildcats, who finished the conference season undefeated at 7-0 and posted an 8-1 overall record. With the conference title, the Wildcats have secured the NWC’s automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championship.
The 40-team, single-elimination tournament field will be announced during the NCAA Division III Football Championship Selection Show on Sunday, Nov. 15, live-streamed on NCAA.com. The field includes 28 automatic qualifiers, with the remaining 12 spots awarded to at-large teams.
The championship will culminate in the national title game on Sunday, Jan. 3, in Salem, Virginia.