The United Football Leagues announced on Friday that the Michigan Panthers, Memphis Showboats, and San Antonio Brahmas will not be part of the UFL in 2026. The league released a statement on their X account.
“After a thorough analysis of all markets and venues, the United Football League has made the difficult decision to depart from the Memphis, Michigan, and San Antonio markets. Unfortunately, due to stadium constraints, the available venues in these areas do not align with our new vision of focusing on smaller, more intimate settings that elevate the fan experience.
We are deeply grateful for the incredible support of our devoted fans in these communities. Your passion and commitment have been invaluable to the league. As we look ahead to potential expansion in 2028, we remain hopeful that the right venues will become available in these markets so we can return and once again bring UFL football to you.
Further details about the league’s next steps will be shared in our announcement next week.”
Two months ago, Pro Football Newsroom reporter James Larsen broke the news that the UFL was looking into relocating four markets. Birmingham was able to save their franchise.
There were small details as to which markets were leaving. On the TeamWork Online website, which is where the UFL posts job opportunities, Birmingham, Houston, St. Louis, D.C, and Arlington posted jobs, while Michigan, San Antonio, and Memphis did not.
The UFL has already confirmed that Columbus, Ohio, will be part of the league in 2026. As for the other two markets, Larsen reports that Louisville, Kentucky, and Orlando, Florida, appear to be where the league will place the other two relocated teams. Columbus will likely play at Historic Crew Stadium, which seats 19,968, is the home of the Columbus Crew 2 (MLS Next Pro), and Louisville would play at Lynn Family Stadium, home of Louisville City FC (USL Championship), which seats 15,304.
As for Orlando, Camping World Stadium is set to undergo a $400 million upgrade. Camping World Stadium was home to the Orlando Guardians in 2023. They averaged 8,931 fans per game, which was second-lowest, ahead of the Vegas Vipers. The current seating capacity for the stadium is 60,219.
The other stadium not far from them is Inter & Co Stadium, which seats 25,500, is the home of Orlando City SC (MLS) and Orlando Pride (NWSL).
