The United Football League (UFL), a pro spring league, has unveiled three new franchises located in Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Ky.; and Orlando, Fla. The three teams, which will debut next season, represent the latest audible by the fledgling league.
The Columbus Aviators, Louisville Kings and Orlando Storm will replace the Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers and San Antonio Brahmas ahead of its third season since the USFL-XFL merger. These teams are all located in non-NFL markets.
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The league is also prioritizing having its teams play in smaller, less cavernous venues moving forward, stepping away from large stadiums such as Ford Field in Detroit and the Alamodome in San Antonio. The UFL looks to take advantage of the availability at soccer-specific stadiums, coinciding with the growth of MLS and USL, as well as NWSL expansion teams that are building new venues.
The Aviators will play at Historic Crew Stadium, the Kings will play at Lynn Family Stadium and the Storm will play at Inter&Co Stadium.
“I was tired of putting [the games] on TV and watching 10,000 fans in a 60,000-seat arena,” billionaire entrepreneur and UFL investor Mike Repole said in a phone interview. “No matter how good the product is on the field, if you don’t win locally then you’re not going to win nationally.”
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Repole, who recently started overseeing business operations for the Arlington, Texas-based league, said it “hurt” to inform the three markets that their teams were being relocated—especially the Panthers, since they were one of the original eight teams included in the launch of the rebooted USFL. But Repole didn’t close the door on the Panthers returning as the league plans to add two teams in 2028.
The UFL also announced that the Houston Roughnecks will be renamed to the Houston Gamblers (reverting to its 80s USFL era) and will play at Shell Energy Stadium (home of the Houston Dynamo and Dash). The Arlington Renegades, meanwhile, will be renamed the Dallas Renegades and will also move to Toyota Stadium (home of MLS club FC Dallas).
The UFL, which is jointly owned by Dany Garcia, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Fox Sports, RedBird Capital Partners and Repole’s Impact Capital, looks to drive momentum entering its third season as it introduces a new format. The league will no longer play under two conferences; instead, all eight teams will compete and the top four will advance to the playoffs.
League officials believe the introduction of new teams, rules and venue changes will help galvanize local support and spur greater community engagement for the UFL.
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“You have to be aggressive, but it’s not going to be built overnight,” said Repole, who teased that his athletics company NoBull will be an apparel partner for the league. “Both Vitamin Water and BodyArmour were billion-dollar brands, but it took 10 years each to get them to that level. I feel the same way here and my partners do too.”
The announcement puts to rest weeks-long speculation about which markets will be added or removed from the league in 2026. Head coaches for the three new teams are expected to be announced at a later date, with the 2026 season set to open on March 27.
Despite the NFL’s major popularity, it remains to be seen if pro spring football in the U.S. can be viable long-term after multiple iterations have struggled to survive in years past.
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