A divided three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit on Friday granted the NCAA a stay of a nationwide injunction that had permitted thousands of formerly ineligible athletes to return to college sports at the start of the 2026–27 campaign.
The ruling doesn’t mean the NCAA has won its appeal of last month’s ruling by U.S. District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney, which had granted the injunction in Wisne v. NCAA and certified a nationwide class of former Division I athletes who began college play in 2022–23, completed four years of eligibility and now seek to play an additional season. Although the granting of the stay signals the 10th Circuit panel is likely to rule for the NCAA, it’s possible the player plaintiffs can better convince the panel as the appellate process plays out.
Yet the stay has enormous practical importance for athletes and their families, especially with the fall 2026 semester about to start at universities across the country.
Athletes who completed college in May but who were intending to return to campus can no longer use the Wisne injunction. Those athletes can still seek injunctions in other forums, including state courts, but relying on a nationwide one granted by a federal judge is off the table.
