A federal appeals court on Friday temporarily halted a lower court order that would have allowed thousands of Division I college athletes from the high school class of 2022 to compete for a fifth season during the 2026-27 academic year.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit issued the stay in the Wisne v. NCAA class-action lawsuit. The decision pauses a preliminary injunction granted July 31 by U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Denver. That injunction had certified the case as a class action and directed the NCAA to restore eligibility for athletes who exhausted their fourth season this past spring.

The ruling represents a significant interim victory for the NCAA. The organization has defended its new age-based eligibility model, which generally provides student-athletes up to five years of eligibility over five seasons if they enroll by the academic year after turning 19. The model took effect with limited exceptions and excludes extensions previously available under older rules.

The class of 2022 athletes challenged the NCAA policy on the grounds that it unfairly shortened their eligibility window compared to prior classes. The district court found sufficient grounds for the injunction to apply broadly to all qualifying Division I players who began college in the 2022-23 season.

The NCAA appealed the injunction and requested the stay, arguing that immediate implementation would create widespread disruption across rosters and disadvantage athletes already competing under the established rules. The appeals court agreed to pause the order pending further review.

The stay means the NCAA's eligibility standards remain in place for the upcoming season while litigation continues. Athletes affected by the original injunction now face uncertainty about whether they can return for an additional year.

This development follows the NCAA Division I Board's adoption of the age-based framework earlier in 2026. The policy aimed to standardize eligibility across sports and reduce reliance on case-by-case waivers.

Legal proceedings in the 10th Circuit are expected to continue with additional briefing on the merits of the underlying challenge.