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XFL, USFL announce starting date of merged league in 2024

By Kevin Kelley - December 1, 2023
XFL-USFL

Photo: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Federal regulators have approved the merger of the two spring football leagues, the XFL and USFL, it was announced Thursday.

With the merger approved, the XFL and USFL announced that the combined league will kickoff on Saturday, March 30, 2024. Former Buffalo Bills and Sabres president Russ Brandon will be the top executive of the combined spring football league, per the Sports Business Journal.

Following the approval of the merger, the XFL and USFL released a joint statement.

“We are pleased to have completed the antitrust review process in connection with the proposed merger of the XFL and USFL and intend to play a combined season this spring kicking off on Saturday, March 30. We are now finalizing terms of the definitive agreement and will share more about this new League in the coming weeks.”

No other details about the merged league were confirmed on Thursday, but there was much speculation and unconfirmed reports.

The new name of the combined league will reportedly be the United Football League (UFL), according to XFL and USFL reporter James Larsen.

Reports have also indicated that the merged league will debut with eight teams, which means eight other teams are out or have been paused. Below are the eight teams that will reportedly kickoff the new merged league, per PFNewsRoom.com:

  • Arlington
  • Birmingham
  • DC
  • Detroit
  • Houston
  • Memphis
  • San Antonio
  • St. Louis

We’ll provide more details on the merged XFL-USFL league as they are released.

View Comments (11)

Comments (11)

I would have preferred the XFL and USFL make it so that their seasons didn’t overlap, with the XFL starting after the NFL finishes their season, and USFL after the XFL leading into the next NFL season to make pro football a truly year-round sport.

Yeah,.. or at least coordinate the timing and keep all 16 teams the 1st year. I find it weird that people want more football, but then they don’t watch. Also, this would make a great alternative league to those in college that don’t get paid. The NBA G-League has exploded in the last few years. I wonder why players just don’t go straight from highschool like they do in the G-League. Developmently it would make more sense to prepare you for the NFL. 🤷🏼‍♂️

The owner of that UFL is a con artist! He has been trying to put a league together for the past several years, first an indoor league and now this. He screwed players over in Evansville and Fort Wayne, Indiana, and even had players protest at the mall in an embarrassment to him and his operation.

https://www.wane.com/top-stories/protest-at-glenbrook-square-leads-to-police-interference/

https://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/2020/01/31/players-say-national-gridiron-league-indiana-firebirds-left-them-stranded/4609793002/

Need a better name. There was a UFL. Jim Fassel coached in it.

I have a feeling this merged league doesn’t play a down. They get enough viewers but there is too much overhead without a huge TV contract.

The CFL remains the second best football league. Long live it.

What about the TV Contracts? USFL has Fox and NBC, XFL had deal with ESPN. 8 teams and the start date seem to make this a Fox thing, but no details in the article.

The XFL is a great and growing league. The USFL never really got going. There are reasons things don’t work. Just let them fade, and continue to build the XFL!

Only 8 teams, what a joke. I was looking to something other than the corrupt NFL. F the NFL ! With 8 teams ,what’s the point. F football !!!