Ever since the XFL and USFL merged in 2024, the United Football League took its season start que from the USFL with the season kicking off in the spring. The XFL 2.0 and 3.0 started its season a week after the Super Bowl. We take a look at the pros and cons on if the UFL should go back to that February timeline in 2026.

Historical Season Start Dates: XFL, USFL, and UFL

To understand the potential scheduling landscape for the UFL, it’s essential to look at the past.

Here’s a breakdown of the season start dates and structures for each spring football league:

LeagueYearSeason Start DateChampionship Game Date
XFL2001February 3rd April 21st
2020
February 8th
N/A
2023February 18th May 13th
USFL2022April 16th July 1st
2023April 15th July 1st
UFL2024March 30th June 16th
2025March 28th June 14th

The XFL positioned its 2020 and 2023 seasons with a February kickoff, starting immediately after the NFL’s Super Bowl. The USFL, during its recent run, chose April for its season launch, placing it later in the spring sports calendar. There were pro’s and con’s for both of those start timeframes.

The UFL selected end of March start date for its 2024 and 2025 seasons, landing between the former XFL and USFL timeframes. This scheduling puts the UFL’s kickoff at the tail end of March Madness and opening weekend of Major League Baseball.

Major Sporting Events: February to June

The question is how can the UFL strategically position itself amidst a crowded sports calendar.

Here’s a look at major sporting events in the months under consideration, organized by sport:

MonthSportEventDate
FebruaryNFL FootballSuper Bowl LIXFebruary 9th
Pro Bowl GamesFebruary 2nd
NFL CombineFebruary 27th – March 2nd
Auto RacingDaytona 500February 16th
BasketballNBA All-Star WeekendFebruary 17th-19th
NBA All-Star GameFebruary 16th
Combat SportsWWE Royal RumbleFebruary 1st
UFC 312February 9th
UFC SeattleFebruary 22nd
MarchNFL FootballN/A
BaseballWorld Baseball ClassicMarch 8th-21st
MLB Opening DayMarch 30th
BasketballNCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments (“March Madness”)March 12th – April 2nd
Combat SportsWWE Elimination ChamberMarch 1st
UFC 313March 8th
GolfThe Players ChampionshipMarch 11th-16th
Motor SportsNASCAR Cup Series Race at MartinsvilleMarch 30th
Shriners Children’s 500March 9th
Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy LubeMarch 16th
AprilNFL FootballNFL DraftApril 24th-26th
BaseballMLB regular seasonN/A
BasketballNCAA Men’s Basketball National ChampionshipApril 3rd
NCAA Women’s Basketball National ChampionshipApril 2nd
NBA PlayoffsApril 15th
Combat SportsWWE WrestleMania 41April 19th-20th
GolfThe Masters TournamentApril 6th-9th
Motor SportsFood City 500April 13th
Goodyear 400April 6th
Geico 500April 27th
OtherNHL Stanley Cup PlayoffsApril
Masters Tournament (Golf)April 8th-14th
JuneNFL Football
BaseballMLB regular seasonN/A
BasketballNBA FinalsJune 1st
NBA DraftJune 22nd
Combat Sports
GolfUS OpenJune 15th-18th
Horse RacingTriple Crown horse races (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes)May 6th, May 20th, June 10th
HockeyStanley Cup Finals (NHL)June 3rd
TennisFrench OpenMay 25th – June 8th

The reason why the San Antonio Brahmas only have four games in 2025 is because of March Madness. But ratings for the 2024 UFL season were good during this timeframe.

March proved to be troubling for the XFL in 2023, which saw a dip in its ratings and XFL executives burying games on little watched cable channels. But the XFL did have something, momentum in a post Super Bowl sports landscape.

Lets look at the pros and cons of starting the UFL season in February.

Start UFL Season A Week Before The Super Bowl

The Pros

NFL fans are craving something to watch. Put UFL games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday after the Pro Bowl “Flag Football” game. This years game is on Sunday February 2nd at 3PM on ESPN. This would be a huge lead-in for the United Football League to follow it.

The media blitz aka “Super Bowl Week“, the time leading up to the Super Bowl, is huge and media company’s beat to death the Super Bowl matchup and need something else to talk about. The UFL could fill that void during that time.

Former XFL CEO and Commissioner Oliver Luck spent the whole week in 2020 talking to media about the UFL. That really hasn’t happen for Spring Football Leagues since.

Super Bowl weekend you have one Friday Night game and three on Saturday or even one early game on Sunday. Again, cashing in on the hype around the most watch TV show of the year.

Daytona 500 is the next week on FOX which could be another good lead in. Giving the league three good TV weeks to kick start the season.

For the UFL players, it is why most of them are in the league in the first place. Getting an NFL camp invite. NFL training camps typically start in mid-to-late July. Since the season will finish in May. It give players a chance to heal up and get ready for NFL training camp.

The late finish of the USFL season was a knock against it because NFL camp rosters were almost full at the end of their season. Plus players were still a bit dinged up with little time to recover before camp.

The Cons

One simple one for me in DC is the weather. Here are average weather for some of the other locations;

Arlington, Texas

  • February: Moderately chilly, average high of 60°F (16°C), low of 38°F (4°C) . There is a 21% chance of rain or snow on an average day .  
  • March: Mildly cool, average high of 70°F (21°C), low of 47°F (8°C) . There is a 23% chance of rain on an average day .   

Birmingham, Alabama

  • February: Moderately chilly, average high of 59°F (15°C), low of 38°F (3°C) . There is a 40% chance of rain on an average day .  
  • March: Mildly cool, average high of 66°F (19°C), low of 45°F (7°C) . There is a 38% chance of rain on an average day.  

Washington, D.C.

  • February: Cold, average high of 45°F (7°C), low of 30°F (-1°C).
  • March: Mild with occasional cold spells, average high of 55°F (13°C), low of 38°F (3°C).

Memphis, Tennessee

  • February: Cool with occasional cold spells, average high of 54°F (12°C), low of 37°F (3°C).
  • March: Mild, average high of 63°F (17°C), low of 44°F (7°C).

St. Louis, Michigan and San Antonio are in domes. The league could work around that and have more Dome games earlier in the season with the Defenders and Showboats on the road for the first two weeks.

The biggest con is March Madness, the season would be good for February and the beginning of March. But right when the UFL season has playoff implications, college basketball will be front and center.

The UFL final regular season weekend would be the same as the March Madness finals. Which the league could work around since there are less games. But that didn’t help the XFL in 2023, which saw a big ratings drop during that weekend. The UFL TV ratings in 2024 however were good.

What To Expect In 2026

There will be some type of shift the the UFL schedule on 2026. There are two changes on the horizon.

One is the expansion of two new UFL teams. Would the UFL expand it season to 12 weeks or still keep it at 10. That is something we need to keep an eye on. From what he heard from sources at this point, they would want to keep it at 10 weeks. That could change.

The second, and a big factor is the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It is scheduled to take place from June 11th to July 19th and it is in the United States. This year, the UFL Championship game is taking place on June 14th.

The most important UFL game will be buried by the biggest sports story and games in the world in 2026. Some type of shift in the schedule should be expected.

If the UFL and the NFL can agree on letting the United Football League get some of the juice from the Super Bowl hype, it would be a huge win for Spring Football.

As much as I personally like the warmer weather for games, the powers within the UFL feel the league is more of a TV show than a sports league. Butts in seats don’t matter as much as TV ratings. If you can piggy back of the biggest TV show of the year, then you need to do it and change in 2026.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

author avatar
Mark Perry Editor
Mark Perry, a devoted sports journalist and founder of UFL News Hub, has been a key figure in XFL, USFL and UFL coverage since 2018.

6 Comments

  • Posted February 3, 2025 12:53 am 0Likes
    by Mike G.

    I’m a Roughnecks fan and you left out Houston about the weather. It gets very hot by May and June with the heat and humidity. That’s why Houston’s attendance was very poor last year. It was high and somewhat successful back in 2020.

  • Posted February 3, 2025 4:10 pm 0Likes
    by Ken Granito

    The reason the Houston Gamblers were such a good franchise in the 80s along with Jim Kelly and the Run N Shoot was that they play in the Astrodome so I am onboard with your reasoning Mike G. I think they may have to make more of the Friday night games, much the way Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and Arizona play many night games in the old USFL. Mark you made very many good points in your article regarding moving the season to a February start. It’s tough find anything wrong with it. That stated I still like the March start. I do think if they ever go to a 12 game season it will be earlier, not later. Though what you wrote about the Super Bowl seemed very exciting, I think by the Super Bowl people are ready for the season to be over. Plus many of our players were just signed from NFL practice squads. Those players would not be able to attend camp and with minimal practice games, that will be of the utmost importance as the product is most important. Overall, it could work. I won’t argue with it. Like I said if they move to 12 games I feel it will start mid-March al-ready so I can see it going earlier. I think fans will need a rest though from the NFL. I don’t know the numbers, but I bet Thursday and Amazon prime games are not as watched as they hoped for. I feel that is the case because as much as Prime and NFL Network wants it to be, people don’t want to watch football 4 days a week.

  • Posted February 3, 2025 9:08 pm 0Likes
    by Shimmy

    Week after the Super Bowl, 10 game schedule, extend playoff format. 10 teams, six make the playoffs, only Conference champ automatic Qualifier, next four depends on best records. I am laughing DC cold 45 degrees, that is football weather. Late season like USFL 22, 23 UFL 24 to hot for the southern cities. Like the Friday nights, they need select Mondays nights most colleges do not play on Mondays Mandated off days in many sports, light schedule. Late afternoon 5:00 pm eastern time Sunday games. personally I would never increase from a ten game regular schedule even if you had 16 to 24 teams, increase the playoff format, winner take all more interesting to all fans involved, who really wants a season to drag on when your 1-9, 2-10, 3-11 It only hurts attendance, and the viewership. This is a Developmental league, play a Tournament format, reward playoffs teams for there regular season attendance, and yes allow single point extra kicks just like the NFL. ? 4 point FG over 50 yards, if you miss the balls placed at the yard marker example 61 yard attempt placed at your own 39 yard line allowing the opposing team to elect to attempt there own FG in a situation before halftime, if time had run out during the kick.

  • Posted February 3, 2025 10:40 pm 0Likes
    by Ken Granito

    I actually like a 12 game season. Playoffs are more exciting when it’s more legitimate and 12 teams and games makes the UFL Championship worth more. Also, it will allow the UFL to provide better for less financial impact to the league. Let’s just say the league pays players 6,000 per game. That now makes UFL players make 72,000 for the regular season. For teams that make the playoffs, now they make 78,000. When you add in camp, that almost another 10,000. That is pay that is worthy of a career. If players don’t get frivolous with their money, homes could be paid for. All that and league really hasn’t lost a great deal more money as they will be getting money for the extra games. Top receivers will easily eclipse 750 yards receiving and stud players around the league may approach 1,000 yards and very good quarterbacks would have a strong opportunity at 2,500 yards. Great ones 2750. Just a lot of fun. Once we get to 12 teams definitely 6 playoff teams, if we didn’t do that with ten. Now the league is starting the beginning of March.

  • Posted February 4, 2025 9:37 am 0Likes
    by Gary Winter

    I’m inclined to agree with the idea of starting the UFL season the week after or even 2 weeks after the Super Bowl. No need to give the impression that the UFL is trying to compete with the NFL. I also like the idea of a 12 game schedule once the 2-team expansion happens (if it does.). Although the costs are increased for the league, the exposure is also increased through TV and ticket sales. The southern teams could be scheduled at home a bit earlier (5-6 weeks) and avoid some of the heat they’re asked to live through in June. If scheduled correctly, the latter games for those teams could be away games in San Antonio, St. Louis, Michigan and if they’re there, Seattle and Columbus. All of these areas are either inside or in a bit cooler climate in May and June. As for the playoffs, I like the format as it is although once they’ve expanded to 12(?) teams in a few years, it would be good to see 3 divisions of 4 and this would necessitate an expansion of the playoffs.
    Mark, thanks for the work you do on the “Hub” and I truly hope that all is well in the Perry household.

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