The United Football League (UFL) is moving to two new markets ahead of its 2027 and is planning to expand to another in 2028 as it continues to undergo major changes under the leadership of Mike Repole.
The UFL's new franchises for 2027 will be located in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Pawtucket, Rhode Island. In 2028, the league will be adding a team in Utah. The franchise will join the UFL alongside an Oklahoma City franchise, which was previously announced as an expansion team in April 2026.
Nicknames for the franchises have not yet been revealed. The two new teams for 2027 will replace the Birmingham Stallions and Houston Gamblers, who the league originally announced would be relocated on July 30.
The UFL did not immediately provide information
about which franchises would relocate to each city. It was also not immediately clear whether staff and players would be retained as part of the relocation process or whether the UFL would redistribute players ahead of its 2027 season.
The UFL has now announced expansion to two new markets while relocating five of its franchises since Repole joined its ownership group. Last offseason, the league added the Columbus Aviators, Louisville Kings and Orlando Storm at the expense of the Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers and San Antonio Brahmas.
The goal of these relocations? Repole has focused primarily on finding the right venues, placing a strong emphasis on finding smaller-sized stadiums that will create a better game-day experience for fans and an improved broadcast for the league's partners at Fox and ESPN.
"Even though the stadium is smaller, the platform will be bigger because it's going to be a sold-out stadium," Repole told USA TODAY Sports in an October 2025 interview.
Additionally, the UFL's press release announcing the new franchises highlighted they would "expand the league’s geographic footprint" and build on the "momentum" the league is generating.
"2026 was an incredible year for the UFL, and seeing the response from our fans, players, and partners has made what comes next even more exciting," Repole said in the press release. "There is a real energy around this league right now, and we’re thrilled to bring that energy to four new markets.
"We said in July that our next step was finding the right markets, venues, and fan bases where we can work with local leaders to build the strongest franchises for today and for the future, and we believe Colorado, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, and Utah represent those qualities. We’re thankful to the local leaders and partners who believed in this vision and have helped us get here. We can’t wait to see these markets come to life and the best part is that this is just the beginning."
Here's more to know about the UFL's relocations, as well as the league's plan for eventual expansion.
What to know about the UFL's Rhode Island franchise
The UFL's Rhode Island franchise is slated to play in Pawtucket. The city is best known for hosting the Boston Red Sox's Triple-A affiliate from 1973 to 2020, before the team relocated to Worcester, Massachusetts.
The Rhode Island UFL team will play at Centreville Bank Stadium, which opened in 2025 and is also home to Rhode Island FC of the United Soccer League (USL). Centreville Bank Stadium has a capacity of 10,500, helping it fit Repole's vision of the UFL playing at smaller-sized stadiums.
Paul Byrne, the general manager of Centreville Bank Stadium, expressed excitement about being able to welcome professional football to Pawtucket.
"There is tremendous energy around sports in the Ocean State, and we’re proud to continue establishing Centreville Bank Stadium as a premier destination for major sporting and entertainment events," Byrne said. "Bringing professional football to Pawtucket is another exciting milestone for our venue and for Rhode Island, and our team can’t wait to welcome fans from across the state and deliver an unforgettable game-day experience."
The UFL is slated to announce the Rhode Island team's nickname, branding, logo and more at a public event on Oct. 18 at Centreville Bank Stadium. The team will make its home debut in Week 2 of the 2027 UFL season on Friday, April 2, at 8 p.m. ET.
What to know about the UFL's Colorado franchise
Like the UFL's Rhode Island franchise, the Colorado franchise will be playing at USL stadium. Colorado will play at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, which is home to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
Weidner Field opened in 2021 and has a capacity of 8,000. The Colorado franchise will make its debut at the stadium on Sunday, April 11, during Week 3 of the 2027 UFL season.
Colorado Springs mayor Yemi Mobolade referred to the arrival of the UFL in Colorado Springs as "a vote of confidence" in the city.
"A UFL team will put Colorado Springs in front of a national audience, bring fans to Weidner Field, and give southern Colorado a professional football team to call its own," Mobolade said in the UFL's press release. "We are proud to welcome the UFL to the foot of Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain, and we look forward to seeing our community make this team its own."
The UFL will announce the branding and nickname for its Colorado franchise at a public event at Weidner Field on Oct. 25.
UFL teams 2027
The UFL will remain an eight-team league in 2027 before expanding to 10 teams in 2028. Below is a look at the eight teams currently slated to play in the spring football league:
- Columbus Aviators
- Dallas Renegades
- DC Defenders
- Louisville Kings
- Orlando Storm
- St. Louis Battlehawks
- Colorado franchise
- Rhode Island franchise
Oklahoma City and Utah will join the league in 2028.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UFL announces homes of two relocated franchises for 2027 season
