After years of anticipation and speculation, it has been officially announced that both the United States Football League (USFL) and XFL will be returning to the football landscape in 2023. The USFL, which originally launched in 1983, will return as a professional spring football league, while the XFL, which was recently revived in 2020 before shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, after looking to be the most promising attempt in recent decades, will return as a fall football league.
Both leagues have a storied history in American football. The USFL played three seasons in the 1980s before folding due to financial struggles, but it featured several future NFL stars, including Jim Kelly, Steve Young, and Herschel Walker. The XFL, on the other hand, played one season in 2001 before also folding due to financial issues, but it gained a cult following due to its unique rules and edgy approach to football.
The return of these leagues has been met with excitement from football fans who are eager for more opportunities to watch the sport they love. The USFL and XFL are expected to offer a unique and exciting football experience, with both leagues aiming to differentiate themselves from the NFL by offering faster-paced games and different rules and formats.
The USFL will have two teams playing home games in the 2023 season out of Ford Field in Detroit: the Michigan Panthers and Philadelphia Stars.
The USFL has already announced plans to launch with eight teams, with cities and franchises to be announced at a later date. The league is expected to begin play in March or April of 2023, with a championship game scheduled for June.