2026 UFL Schedule Release: Football is Back, and It’s Getting Weird : ‘In a Good Way’
You know that feeling. It hits right around mid-February. The confetti has been swept up from the Super Bowl, the parade floats are parked, and suddenly, Sunday feels incredibly empty. We stare at a six-month void of gardening and “productive weekends” before the NFL returns.
Well, not this year. The football gods or specifically, the folks running the United Football Leaguehave decided we don’t need a break.The UFL dropped its full 2026 schedule today, and frankly, it’s a beautiful mess of nostalgia, rivalry, and scheduling quirks that only spring football can pull off.
We’re looking at 43 games, a coaching carousel that would make your head spin, and yes, football on a Tuesday. Because why not?Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 UFL season without having to squint at a press release.
The Kickoff: Friday Night Lights Are Back
Circle March 27 on your calendar. That’s when the silence ends. The league is bringing back “FOX UFL Friday,” which is essentially an excuse to order pizza and ignore your chores at the start of the weekend.
The opener is a fascinating one. We’ve got the Birmingham Stallions the dynasty of spring ball traveling to face the newcomers, the Louisville Kings. But here is the twist that made me do a double-take: The Stallions are now coached by AJ McCarron.
Yes, that AJ McCarron. The guy was throwing touchdowns for St. Louis not long ago, and now he’s holding the clipboard for Birmingham. He’s facing off against Louisville’s Chris Redman. It’s a battle of the quarterbacks-turned-coaches, and it’s going down at Lynn Family Stadium at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX.
Week 1: Rivalries and Returns
If you can’t tune in Friday, the rest of the opening weekend is stacked. Saturday gives us a look at the DC Defenders taking on the St. Louis Battlehawks. For those keeping score at home, St. Louis is now led by Ricky Proehl.
If you grew up watching the ‘Greatest Show on Turf,’ seeing Proehl patrol the sidelines in St. Louis just feels right.Later that Saturday, we get the “Battle for Texas.” The Houston Gamblers and Dallas Renegades are squaring off.
Both teams have new bosses: Kevin Sumlin is running the show in Houston, and Rick Neuheisel is taking over Dallas. Neuheisel has never met a microphone he didn’t like, so expect plenty of soundbites from that game.
Tuesday Football? You Better Believe It.
This is where the schedule gets funky, and I love it. The UFL isn’t just sticking to the weekends. They are testing our commitment to the gridiron with mid-week madness.Mark down April 7. It’s a Tuesday.
The NCAA basketball champion will have been crowned the night before, and just as sports withdrawal starts to set in, the Dallas Renegades host the St. Louis Battlehawks. It’s a brilliant bridge to keep the UFL momentum going.
We also get some Thursday night action later in the season, specifically during “Derby Week” in Louisville. On April 30, the Kings host the Battlehawks to kick off the Kentucky Derby festivities. If you’ve never been to Louisville during Derby week, the energy is electric, and throwing a football game into that mix is a stroke of genius.
The Playoff Picture: No Room for Error
The UFL format this year is simple, brutal, and fair. Forget conference alignments that allow a mediocre team to sneak in. The eight teams: Birmingham, Columbus, Dallas, D.C., Houston, Louisville, Orlando, and St. Louis are playing in one big pool.
After the 10-week grind, the top four records make the dance. That’s it. The semifinals go down on Sunday, June 7, and the last teams standing will fight for the UFL Championship on Saturday, June 13.
Where to Watch the Action
Thankfully, you don’t need a decoder ring to find the games. The broadcast split is pretty even between the top contenders.
- FOX Sports is taking 21 games (mostly on big FOX, with a few on FS1).
- ESPN/ABC has the other 22 games.
Basically, if you have a TV and an antenna, you’re catching about 70% of the season. For the streamers out there, the ESPN App and FOX ONE have you covered.
A 2026 Season Worth Of Growth
Look, spring football has had a rocky history in this country. We’ve seen leagues come and go like fad diets. But year three of the UFL feels different. Relocating teams to passionate markets like Columbus (coached by Ohio State legend Ted Ginn Jr., no less) and Orlando shows they are actually looking at the data.
The “Beer Snake” will rise again in D.C., the Battlehawks UFL fans will likely fill the dome, and we get to watch AJ McCarron try to out-coach Rick Neuheisel. It’s going to be weird, wild, and exactly what we need to get us through to September.Tickets go on sale February 2. I’d suggest grabbing them before everyone realizes how long the wait for the NFL actually is.
