Last week, the UFL officially said farewell to Michigan, Memphis, and San Antonio. On Tuesday, the spring league officially said hello to Columbus, Louisville, and Orlando.
The UFL has announced the addition of three teams for 2026. Meet the Columbus Aviators, the Louisville Kings, and the Orlando Storm.
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The Aviators will borrow the Columbus MLS stadium. The Kings will play in the local soccer venue. And the Storm will use the Orlando MLS facility. The goal is to get away from the large swaths of empty seats that make viewers wonder why they’re watching something that few bother to attend in person. (“Because it’s on TV” isn’t nearly a good enough reason.)
“Today marks an important step forward for the United Football League,” Mike Repole, co-owner of the United Football League, said in a press release. “Columbus, Louisville, and Orlando are true football cities with deep sports roots. We’re proud to bring professional football to these communities — in energetic, fan-driven stadiums built to create an authentic gameday experience and strengthen the foundation of this league for years to come.”
Two other teams will be rebranded and relocated to soccer stadiums. The Arlington Renegades will be the Dallas Renegades, and they’ll play at the home of the Dallas MLS franchise. The Houston Roughnecks will be the Houston Gamblers (a classic USFL team name) when they move to the Houston MLS building.
The 2026 season of the UFL — the third of the merged XFL and USFL — will begin on Friday, March 27. It will continue to have eight teams, with a vision to grow to 16 within the next decade.
