Inside the UFL
by Fran Stuchbury
Published on August 13, 2026 under United Football League (UFL)
In the 2025 off-season the United Football League folded three teams: the Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers and San Antonio Brahmas. They were replaced by the Columbus Aviators, Orlando Storm, and Louisville Kings.
One year later the league left two more markets behind, shuttering the Birmingham Stallions and Houston Gamblers.
"Departing a market is never easy and this decision is not a reflection of the dedication shown by players, coaches, fans, local partners, or civic leaders in Birmingham or Houston," said UFL Co-Owner Mike Repole. "We are grateful for their passion, commitment, and support, which have helped shape the continued evolution of the UFL. My mission is to build a league that is not only sustainable today, but also successful and thriving for decades to come. Building a spring football league has required discipline and difficult decisions, which have been guided by our clear long-term vision. Every market evaluation begins with the same three principles I have said since day one - the right market, the right sized venue, and a passionate fan base."
Under Head Coach Skip Holtz, the Birmingham Stallions ruled the United States Football League in 2022 and 2023.
Birmingham served as the hub for all eight USFL teams the first year when the Stallions finished 9-1 and won the championship.
With the league establishing two new hubs in 2023, Birmingham served as host to the New Orleans Breakers. The Stallions ompleted that season with an 8-2 record and won another league title.
On December 31st the XFL and USFL merged to form the United Football League which featured a USFL Conference consisting of the Stallions, Michigan Panthers, Memphis Showboats and Houston Roughnecks. The XFL Conference featured the St. Louis Battlehawks, San Antonio Brahmas, Arlington Renegades and DC Defenders,
While the USFL offered tickets for just $10 with up to three children aged 15 and under admitted free per ticketed adult, the transition to the UFL's more traditional ticket pricing proved jarring.
In 2024 the Stallions continued their dominance under Holtz, compiling a 9-1 record along with their third straight title.
Meanwhile, Birmingham averaged 10,255 fans per game, fourth in the UFL.
Stallions went 7-3 in 2025 before losing to Michigan in the USFL Conference Championship. Attendance dipped to 9,100 fans per game.
During the off-season new league investor Mike Repole encouraged fans to purchase tickets to keep the team in Birmingham. The UFL decided to essentially reboot the league with a dispersal draft, and Skip Holtz stepped down and was replaced by A.J. McCarron. Overall, Holtz finished 33-7 with three titles.
The Stallions struggled in 2026, finishing 4-6 and falling short of the post season. Attendance declined as well. After drawing a strong 18,340 fans for their home opener, crowds plummetted to the 5,000 range for their final four home games.
Protective Stadium stood out as one of the league's larger venues, seating 47,000, making small crowds even more glaring. No suitable, smaller venues were available in Birmingham.
As opposed to the relative consistency in Birmingham, the Houston Gamblers faced many changes in a brief time. They played in three different venues under two different brands in five seasons.
The Gamblers didn't even play in Houston their first two years, staging USFL games in the Birmingham hub in 2022 and in Memphis the following year.
When the XFL and USFL merged in 2024, the UFL rebranded the team as the Houston Roughnecks, the name of the XFL squad despite retaining the USFL Gamblers' coaching staff and roster.
With TDECU Stadium, the home of the Roughnecks, being renovated, the team had to shift to Rice Stadium. After going 5-5 in 2023, Curtis Johnson's Roughnecks sank to 1-9, while drawing around 7,000 fans per game.
The Roughnecks returned to TDECU Stadium in 2025, finishing 5-5, but fan support failed to rebound.
The UFL switched back to the Gamblers branding this past season and changed venues once again, landing at Shell Energy Stadium, used primarily as the home for Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo. They also changed coaches, bringing back Kevin Sumlin who had previously led the Gamblers during the 2022 USFL season.
They finished 4-6 while averaging 5,683 fans, dead last in the UFL attendance rankings.
The UFL plans to add two replacement markets for the 2027 season. The league wants to expand to 10 teams for the 2028 season with Oklahoma City already announced as one of the host markets.
United Football League Stories from August 13, 2026
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