The United Football League announced on Monday they have launched its first expansion process to expand in 2026. The league is now accepting proposals from prospective markets looking to bring spring football to their communities and be a part of the growth of the sport.
“As the UFL lays the groundwork for future growth, we’re excited to begin exploring new markets for expansion, where spring football can not only live, but thrive,” said UFL President and CEO Russ Brandon.
“These expansion efforts validate our vision and early success, demonstrating how spring football resonates with fans and reinforcing our commitment to broadening its reach. With the strength and structure of our ownership group, along with our media partners, we are well-positioned for the long haul and look forward to identifying communities that have the potential, and desire, to host a UFL team.”
The league is now searching to identify the strongest markets to support its ambitious growth goals. In addition, they are looking at several core attributes when selecting its new cities, including fan interest, and existing sports culture, geography and population, and venue and infrastructure availability.
This will be the second season for the UFL under the merger between the USFL and XFL. The league consists of eight teams split into two conferences. The USFL Conference features the Birmingham Stallions, Michigan Panthers, Memphis Showboats, and the Houston Roughnecks, while the XFL Conference features the Arlington Renegades, D.C. Defenders, St. Louis Battlehawks, and the San Antonio Brahmas.
When the league merged last year, the teams that were left out were the Philadelphia Stars, Pittsburgh Maulers, New Jersey Generals, New Orleans Breakers, Houston Roughnecks (XFL), Seattle Sea Dragons, Orlando Guardians, and the Vegas Vipers.
The UFL will kick off the 2025 season on March 28, 2025, with a 10-week regular season schedule, followed by the USFL and XFL Conference Championship games, and the UFL Championship Game on June 14, 2025.
