Newly formed UFL sets 8 markets, tabs coaches

The newly formed United Football League has set its eight markets and secured head coaches for each team as it continues its march toward a March 2024 debut on the field, the league announced Monday.

The UFL will remain in four XFL markets, three from the USFL and one that the now-merged leagues shared. The eight teams, all of which are located in either the Eastern or Central time zones, will be split into two conferences that are named after the leagues that formed them. Four XFL coaches and four USFL coaches were retained.

The full breakdown with each team’s coach:

USFL conference

• Birmingham Stallions: Skip Holtz

• Houston Roughnecks: Curtis Johnson

• Memphis Showboats: John DeFilippo

• Michigan Panthers: Mike Nolan

XFL conference

• Arlington Renegades: Bob Stoops

• D.C. Defenders: Reggie Barlow

• San Antonio Brahmas: Wade Phillips

• St. Louis Battlehawks: Anthony Becht

Both leagues had teams in Houston in 2023. The UFL kept the XFL team’s brand and tapped the USFL team’s coach.

UFL players will report to training camp Feb. 24 in Arlington, Texas, where the XFL trained last season. Its teams will play a 10-game regular season, starting March 30 with a matchup between Birmingham and Arlington.

The USFL and XFL played separate, partially overlapping schedules in 2023. The leagues announced an intent to merge Sept. 28 and received approval from federal regulators Nov. 30.

The XFL had previously discussed a partnership with the Canadian Football League in 2021, but negotiations did not lead to an agreement.

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