Six DeKalb County football teams open their seasons Saturday, Aug. 22, at James R. Hallford Stadium in Clarkston, giving local fans three games for a single $20 ticket.

The 2026 DeKalb County High School Kickoff Classic features Columbia vs. Tucker at 2 p.m., Lithonia vs. Martin Luther King Jr. at 5 p.m. and Stephenson vs. Southwest DeKalb at 8 p.m. The DeKalb County School District announced the lineup on its official accounts.

Tickets are available through GoFan and cover all three contests at the 15,600-seat venue.

What Dunwoody and Chamblee fans should watch

Neither the Dunwoody Wildcats nor the Chamblee Bulldogs play in the Kickoff Classic, but the event puts six county programs on display before region play begins this fall.

The Wildcats opened their season Thursday, Aug. 20, against Centennial at Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell as part of the Corky Kell Classic. As we reported Aug. 6, the back-to-back events give area fans a full weekend of football to start the year.

Nightcap carries emotional weight

The 8 p.m. finale between Stephenson and Southwest DeKalb arrives weeks after legendary former Panthers coach William "Buck" Godfrey died in early August at age 83. Godfrey coached Southwest DeKalb from 1983 to 2012, compiling 273 wins. The Panthers will take the field for the first time since his passing.

Getting there

James R. Hallford Stadium is located at 3789 Memorial College Ave., Clarkston. Gates open for the 2 p.m. kickoff, and the $20 all-day pass means fans can arrive for any game and stay through the nightcap.

DeKalb County's football pipeline keeps producing college talent. The district's 2026 signing class reached 92 scholarship players, the highest total since 2014, according to the DCSD athletics department.

Stephenson and Southwest DeKalb kick off under the lights at 8 p.m., with Godfrey's legacy hanging over every snap.