The new name for a merged league between the XFL and USFL has been officially announced as well as the first game of the season being a battle of the two league’s 2023 champions.
A few months ago it was announced that spring football would no longer be a battle between two rival leagues and instead will become a unified option for fans looking for more pigskin action after the NFL season comes to a close. However, after the announcement, there has been limited information on the league name and the teams that will continue in this new merged version of the two brands.
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Well, some more dominoes fell into place on Sunday afternoon. ESPN was one of the first to report that when the league begins its inaugural season on March 30, it will be rebranded as the “United Football League.” That name may seem familiar to football fans because it was already used for a spring football league that launched in 2009 and eventually folded three years later in 2012.
XFL and USFL 2023 champions to face off in first regular season game for UFL
It is a bit of a surprising choice but the name is surely better than USXFL or XUSFL. The league also announced when it has its first regular season game of 2024 it will be a battle of 2023 champions when the XFL kings the Arlington Renegades play the USFL champion Birmingham Stallions.
A press release listed the five “partners” that will be overseeing the merged league. The list includes the three most recent XFL owners — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Gerry Cardinale — and USFL owner Fox Sports (represented by CEO Eric Shanks). Furthermore, ESPN (represented by chairman Jimmy Pitaro) will also serve as a partner after being the broadcast home for the XFL this past season.
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So far, there have only been rumors and speculation on which teams from the XFL and USFL will be promoted to the UFL, and no official announcement on where players from shuttered teams will end up in 2024.