Coming off a record-setting 2026 season, the UFL announced Wednesday it will add four new markets over the next two years. Rhode Island and Colorado kick off in 2027, and Utah and Oklahoma join in 2028 to push the league to 10 teams.
Colorado will play at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, Rhode Island at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, Utah at America First Field in Sandy, and Oklahoma at the new MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium in Oklahoma City.
The 2027 league will have eight teams: the Columbus Aviators, Dallas Renegades, DC Defenders, Louisville Kings, Orlando Storm and St. Louis Battlehawks, plus the two new franchises.
Colorado and Rhode Island replace Birmingham and Houston. On July 30, the UFL announced it was pulling out of both markets after the 2026 season. Co-owner Mike Repole tied the Birmingham decision to the size of the venue. That's a tough end for the Stallions, who won the 2022 and 2023 USFL titles and the first UFL championship in 2024 under Skip Holtz. On Houston, Repole said, "The reality is that we did not give this market the consistency it deserved. Between venue changes, team-name changes, and different approaches, we made it difficult to build lasting momentum."
The league also went through changes a year ago. In October 2025, the UFL folded the Michigan Panthers, Memphis Showboats and San Antonio Brahmas - all located in cities that make a lot of sense on the surface. Players under contract with those clubs moved to the new Columbus, Louisville and Orlando franchises. The Arlington Renegades became the Dallas Renegades, and the Houston Roughnecks became the Houston Gamblers.
The expansion follows Repole's first season in charge. In 2026 the UFL introduced a 4-point field goal from 60-plus yards and put more emphasis on transparent officiating. The league set records for plays, points and touchdowns per game. It also had its lowest margin of victory and fewest punts. Louisville won the United Bowl in its first season in front of a sellout crowd.
According to the league, 118 former UFL players went to NFL training camps this summer, and 46 are currently on NFL active rosters or practice squads.
"We said in July that our next step was finding the right markets, venues, and fan bases where we can work with local leaders to build the strongest franchises for today and for the future, and we believe Colorado, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, and Utah represent those qualities," Repole shared.
Colorado's home, Weidner Field, sits at 6,035 feet, more than 750 feet higher than Empower Field at Mile High. That makes it the highest-elevation home for a pro football team in the country.
Visiting coaches will want to plan their conditioning and substitution packages accordingly.
Weidner Field opened in 2021. It is home to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and hosted the 2024 USL Championship Final. Colorado will play its first home game on Sunday, April 11 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, and the team name, colors and logo will be unveiled at the stadium on October 25.
Rhode Island will play at Centreville Bank Stadium, which opened in 2025 on the banks of the Seekonk River. SportsTravel Magazine named it the Best New or Renovated Venue of 2025. It is home to Rhode Island FC and the University of Rhode Island's 2026 home schedule, and it will host Brown and Harvard this Friday, September 25.
Rhode Island's first home game is Friday, April 2 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. The team's name and logo will be revealed October 18 at the stadium.
In 2028, Utah will move into America First Field in Sandy, home of Real Salt Lake and the NWSL's Utah Royals. The league cited a 2026 statewide poll that found 56 percent of Utah voters identify as avid or casual college football fans.
Oklahoma's team will play in the MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium in downtown Oklahoma City. Construction started in June, and the stadium is scheduled to open in early 2028.
The league will announce names and launch plans for Utah and Oklahoma closer to the 2028 season.
Four new franchises need four head coaches, full coordinator and position staffs, and front offices. That means more openings for coaches trying to break into the spring pro ranks.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.