LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The government shutdown is affecting high school football in Kentucky.

What You Need To Know

Fort Campbell and Fort Knox High Schools can’t play football Friday night

Under a government shutdown, sports and extracurricular activities aren’t considered essential

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has sent an urgent letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asking for a reversal of this part of the rules

The Department of Defense Education Activity operates 161 schools in 9 Districts in 11 foreign countries, seven states, and two territories. It includes schools at Fort Knox and Fort Campbell.

Under the rules of the shutdown, schools remain in session and follow the calendar, and all school employees are expected to continue to work. But it doesn’t include extracurricular activities or sports.

Fort Campbell is supposed to play Trigg County Friday night, and Fort Knox is scheduled to play McLean County. Both games are on hold.

In a Facebook post, McLean County said they hoped to have a final decision by noon Friday.

It is also Homecoming for McLean County, and those festivities will continue. The school said if the game isn’t played, the dance will begin at 7 p.m.

Both military high schools may be forced to forfeit their games unless the DoD decision is changed.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., sent an urgent letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday, requesting DoDEA athletics and extracurricular activities be reclassified as acceptable.

In his letter, McConnell said, “This lapse in appropriations, like all government shutdowns, is deeply harmful to government operations, particularly within the Department of Defense. However, we should not force the children of our service members to pay the price for Washington’s failure to appropriate funds on time., especially as many of these dependents will choose to serve in uniform themselves after graduation.”