The United Football League (UFL) is set to begin its third spring season, which will begin on this upcoming Friday, March 27, and will conclude with a championship game on June 13.
All games will be aired on ABC, FOX, ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network, and FS1. Streaming partners are the ESPN app, FOX One, and DAZN. The league owns all eight clubs, with the coalition owned by FOX Sports, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, RedBird Capital Partners, and Mike Repole of Impact Capital.
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While each team plays in its own stadium located in its respective city, all players reside and practice in Arlington, Texas, during the week, and then are flown to their “home” city the day before the game and then fly back after the contest has concluded. Basically, every match except for the ones played in Arlington (Dallas) feels like a road game for every team and every player.
With a CBA in place until after the 2026 season, UFL players are paid $6,205 a week (up from $5,500) and signed to one-year deals with additional benefits including year-round health insurance, weekly housing stipends, and bonuses for performance. Week 1 rosters are pared down from 64 players to 43.
By nature, the UFL is a developmental league. It is also a training ground for referees who want to level up from the college ranks and test the professional ranks when the fall football season isn’t in session. The UFL is a place to experiment with rules, such as the XFL kickoff that the NFL has adopted. This year, the buzz is the four-point field goal of kicks converted from 60+ yards.
After the 2025 UFL season, NFL clubs invited 160 UFL players for workouts and signed 102 to participate in their training camps. In Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, 46 UFL athletes were on an NFL roster, either on the main roster, practice squad, or on some type of injury list.
Rule changes for the 2026 UFL season:
- “Tush push” play is banned.
- Punts are only allowed on the offense’s side of the field. This means that after a team crosses the 50-yard line, it is prohibited from punting.
- Any field goal converted from 60-yards or longer is worth four points.
- Defensive pass interference is now a spot foul, just like the NFL, instead of 15-yards like in college football.
- The one-point kicked extra point is reinstated like the NFL, but from the 15-yard line. The two-point run/pass PAT will remain at the two-yard line, while the three-point run/pass PAT will remain from the eight-yard line.
- If a defensive PAT is returned, instead of being a two-point play, it will be whatever the kicking team was trying to score, so either one, two, or three points.
- The kickoff will go from the standard college version to the XFL version used by the NFL.
- Kickoffs that fail to fall into the “landing zone” will begin at the 40-yard line.
- Receivers only need one foot in bounds for a completed catch instead of the NFL version of two.
- Coaches now only get one challenge per game.
After last season, three UFL teams were moved to other cities. There has been some chatter about expansion, but it was decided to focus on the core group of teams, relocate the franchises that were not drawing well, along with stadium issues, and build each club’s fanbase instead.
The Cardinals are well-represented in this year’s UFL schedule. Many former players and coaches are keeping their dream alive of being paid to participate in pro football with the hope that someone will notice their efforts and believe in their talents once again.
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Birmingham Stallions
Head Coach: A.J. McCarron
Stadium: Protective Stadium
Seating capacity: 47,100
Home of: Birmingham Legion FC (MLS), UAB Blazers (college football)
Record last season: 7-3-0
Accolades: 2022 USFL Champions, 2023 USFL Champions, 2024 UFL Champions
Former Cardinals:
OG Zack Johnson
TE Jordan Thomas
DE T.J. Carter
CB Steven Gilmore, Jr.
Columbus Aviators
Head Coach: Ted Ginn, Jr.
Stadium: Historic Crew Stadium
Seating capacity: 19,968
Home of: Columbus Crew 2 (MLSNP)
Record last season: 6-4-0
Notes: Was the “Michigan Panthers” last year (Detroit)
Former Cardinals:
QB Jalen Morton
C Cohl Cabral
TE Alize Mack
DT Patrick Jenkins
LB Tre’Von Johnson
Head coach Ted Ginn, Jr.
OC coach Todd Haley
Dallas Renegades
Head Coach: Rick Neuheisel
Stadium: Toyota Stadium (Frisco, TX)
Seating capacity: 23,900
Home of: FC Dallas (MLS), Frisco School District, Frisco Bowl
Record last season: 5-5-0
Accolades: 2023 XFL Champions, changed name from “Arlington” to “Dallas”
Former Cardinals:
DT Kevin Strong
CB Bobby Price
DC Defenders
Head Coach: Shannon Harris
Stadium: Audi Field
Seating capacity: 20,000
Home of: D.C. United (MLS), Washington Spirit (NWSL), DC Power (USLS)
Record last season: 6-4-0
Accolades: 2025 UFL Champions
Former Cardinals:
K Matt McCrane
DE Myjai Sanders
C Lamont Gaillard
OT Trey Wedig
CB Michael Ojemudia
CB Ekow Boye-Doe
Houston Gamblers
Head Coach: Kevin Sumlin
Stadium: Shell Energy Stadium
Seating capacity: 20,656
Home of: Houston Dash (NWSL), Houston Dynamo FC (MLS), Texas Southern (college football)
Record last season: 5-5-0
Notes: Last year played as the “Roughnecks”
Former Cardinals:
WR Jontre Kirklin
DT Rashard Lawrence
Louisville Kings
Head Coach: Chris Redman
Stadium: Lynn Family Stadium
Seating capacity: 15,304
Home of: Racing Louisville FC (NWSL), Louisville City FC (USLC)
Record last season: 2-8-0
Notes: Last year played as the “Memphis Showboats”
Former Cardinals:
WR JaVonta Payton
C Doug Kramer
Orlando Storm
Head Coach: Anthony Becht
Stadium: Inter&Co Stadium
Seating capacity: 25,500
Home of: Orlando City SC (MLS), Orlando Pride (NWSL), Florida Cup
Record last season: 1-9-0
Notes: Last year played as the “San Antonio Brahmas”
Former Cardinals:
LB Keshawn Banks
LB Chris Garrett
Head coach Anthony Becht
ST/DB coach Martin Bayless
St. Louis Battlehawks
Head Coach: Ricky Proehl
Stadium: The Dome at America’s Center (formerly Trans World Dome)
Seating capacity: 67,277
Home of: Battlehawks
Record last season: 8-2-0
Accolades: 2024-2025 UFL “XFL Division” Champs
Former Cardinals:
WR Hakeem Butler
WR Andy Isabella
LB Pita Taumoepenu
C Sincere Haynesworth
CB Luq Barcoo
CB Michael Ojemudia
Head coach Ricky Proehl
