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Spring football leagues have a fraught history in this country. They arrive, people get excited about them for a little bit, and then they disappear back into the nothingness from which they came.
That cycle looked to be repeating itself after the USFL and XFL both relaunched. Could two competing leagues work? It turns out the answer was no, but the two leagues merged into the United Football League, creating what might be the most sustainable spring league we've ever seen.
What is the UFL? Let's talk about the newest spring football league.
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What Is The UFL?
The United Football League, which will begin play in 2024, was created from a merger of the XFL and USFL. Both leagues were former spring football leagues that relaunched in the 2020s, with the XFL beginning play in 2020 and the USFL in 2022.
In 2023, both leagues played, with the seasons partially overlapping. Then in September, it was reported that the two leagues were in talks to merge. Later in the month, the merger was officially announced, with plans made for the league to begin play in 2024 with four teams from the USFL and four teams from the XFL playing.
The USFL teams are the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Roughnecks, Memphis Showboats, and Michigan Panthers. The XFL teams are the Arlington Renegades, DC Defenders, San Antonio Brahmas, and St. Louis Battlehawks.
When Does The UFL Season Begin?
The 2024 UFL regular season is set to begin on March 30. That day, the defending USFL champion Birmingham Stallions will face the defending XFL champion Arlington Renegades.
The UFL teams will play a 10-team schedule. Each team will play two games against the other teams in its conference and one game against the teams in the other conference. The conferences are divided between the former USFL and the former XFL teams. The top two teams from each conference will advance to the playoffs.
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