The 2026 UFL playoff picture is set after Week 8. Orlando has clinched. Seven teams remain alive with two weeks left in the regular season. Here is the math on what each team needs to make the postseason.
The 2026 UFL playoff format is a top-4 single-table bracket. The four teams with the best records make the playoffs.
Current UFL Standings (After Week 8)
Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Orlando Storm | 6-2 (clinched) |
2 | St. Louis Battlehawks | 5-3 |
3 | DC Defenders | 5-3 |
4 | Birmingham Stallions | 4-4 |
5 | Louisville Kings | 4-4 |
6 | Dallas Renegades | 3-5 |
7 | Houston Gamblers | 3-5 |
8 | Columbus Aviators | 2-6 |
Birmingham owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Louisville from Week 7.
Possible Final Records
Team | Current | Win Out | Split 1-1 | Lose Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Orlando | 6-2 | 8-2 | 7-3 | 6-4 |
St. Louis | 5-3 | 7-3 | 6-4 | 5-5 |
DC | 5-3 | 7-3 | 6-4 | 5-5 |
Birmingham | 4-4 | 6-4 | 5-5 | 4-6 |
Louisville | 4-4 | 6-4 | 5-5 | 4-6 |
Dallas | 3-5 | 5-5 | 4-6 | 3-7 |
Houston | 3-5 | 5-5 | 4-6 | 3-7 |
Columbus | 2-6 | 4-6 | 3-7 | 2-8 |
The 4-4 teams cap at 6-4. The 3-5 teams cap at 5-5. Columbus caps at 4-6.
Orlando Storm: Clinched
The Storm locked up a playoff spot with their Week 8 win over Dallas. Head coach Anthony Becht heads to the postseason for the third straight year.
Orlando plays DC twice to close the regular season — at home in Week 9, then on the road in Week 10. Both games decide seeding only.
St. Louis Battlehawks: Clinch Path
Remaining games: at Houston (Week 9), vs. Dallas (Week 10).
Sweep (7-3): Clinched. Only three teams can reach 7-3 (Orlando, St. Louis, DC). A 7-3 finish puts the Battlehawks in at worst as the third seed.
Split (6-4): At risk. Five teams can mathematically reach 6-4 or better: Orlando, St. Louis, DC, Birmingham, and Louisville. Only four playoff spots exist. If DC wins at least one and both Birmingham and Louisville win out, St. Louis at 6-4 would be in a 5-team pileup and need tiebreakers to survive.
Lose out (5-5): Tiebreaker territory. Up to six teams could finish at 5-5.
Houston already owns the head-to-head over St. Louis from Week 8. A Houston win in the Week 9 rematch at Shell Energy Stadium gives the Gamblers the season sweep, which hurts the Battlehawks in any 5-5 tiebreaker between them.
DC Defenders: Clinch Path
Remaining games: at Orlando (Week 9), vs. Orlando (Week 10).
DC plays the Storm twice in the final two weeks.
Sweep (7-3): Clinched. Same math as St. Louis. A season sweep of Orlando also gives DC the head-to-head over the Storm, which matters for the No. 2 seed.
Split (6-4): At risk. Same 5-team pileup scenario.
Lose out (5-5): Tiebreaker territory.
DC enters Week 9 on a 2-game losing streak.
Birmingham Stallions: Path to a Bid
Remaining games: at Columbus (Week 9), vs. Houston (Week 10).
Birmingham must win out to control its own fate. Houston has playoff hopes of its own, which gives the Week 10 home game added weight.
Sweep (6-4): Likely in. Birmingham owns the head-to-head over Louisville, so if both finish 6-4, the Stallions win that tiebreaker. Birmingham at 6-4 only misses if St. Louis and DC both finish 7-3 and Birmingham loses a 3-way tiebreaker against the team that drops to 6-4 from the 5-3 group.
Split (5-5): Needs St. Louis or DC to lose both games.
Lose out (4-6): Out for practical purposes.
Birmingham enters Week 9 on a 3-game winning streak.
Louisville Kings: Path to a Bid
Remaining games: vs. Dallas (Week 9), at Columbus (Week 10).
Louisville lost the head-to-head to Birmingham in Week 7, which costs the Kings the 4-4 tiebreaker card. Louisville's two remaining opponents have a combined record of 5-11.
Sweep (6-4): In if Birmingham drops at least one. If both Louisville and Birmingham finish 6-4, Birmingham wins the H2H and Louisville needs St. Louis or DC to fall to 5-5.
Split (5-5): Needs help from above.
Lose out (4-6): Out for practical purposes.
Louisville has won two straight against DC.
Dallas Renegades: Long Path
Remaining games: at Louisville (Week 9), at St. Louis (Week 10).
Dallas has lost five straight. The Renegades cap at 5-5 and play both remaining games on the road.
Sweep (5-5): Alive in a multi-team tiebreaker scenario. Needs St. Louis or DC to also reach 5-5, plus Birmingham and Louisville to both stumble.
Split or worse: Out.
Houston Gamblers: Long Path With a Tiebreaker Card
Remaining games: vs. St. Louis (Week 9), at Birmingham (Week 10).
Houston upset St. Louis at the Battledome in Week 8. The Gamblers cap at 5-5.
Sweep (5-5): If Houston sweeps the season series with St. Louis in the Week 9 rematch, and St. Louis also finishes 5-5, Houston wins the H2H tiebreaker. That is the Houston path to the playoffs.
Split or worse: Out.
Houston's Week 10 trip to Birmingham is also a Birmingham playoff swing game.
Columbus Aviators: Mathematically Alive, Practically Out
Remaining games: vs. Birmingham (Week 9), vs. Louisville (Week 10).
Columbus caps at 4-6. Three teams (Orlando, St. Louis, DC) are guaranteed to finish with five or more wins, which locks up three of the four playoff spots above any 4-6 team.
For Columbus to grab the fourth seed at 4-6, Birmingham and Louisville would both need to lose out, Dallas and Houston would both need to fall short of 2-0, Columbus would need to win out, and Columbus would need to win the multi-team 4-6 tiebreaker.
Mathematically alive. A playoff bid is no longer realistic.
Week 9 UFL Schedule
Day | Game | Venue | Time (ET) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fri, May 22 | DC at Orlando | Inter&Co Stadium | 8:00 PM | FOX |
Sat, May 23 | Birmingham at Columbus | Historic Crew Stadium | 3:00 PM | ABC |
Sun, May 24 | Dallas at Louisville | Lynn Family Stadium | 4:00 PM | FOX |
Sun, May 24 | St. Louis at Houston | Shell Energy Stadium | 7:00 PM | ESPN2 |
Week 10 UFL Schedule
Day | Game | Venue | Time (ET) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fri, May 29 | Dallas at St. Louis | The Dome at America's Center | 8:00 PM | FOX |
Sat, May 30 | Houston at Birmingham | Protective Stadium | 3:00 PM | ESPN2 |
Sun, May 31 | Orlando at DC | Audi Field | 12:00 PM | ABC |
Sun, May 31 | Louisville at Columbus | Historic Crew Stadium | 6:00 PM | FOX |
UFL Playoff Picture: Bottom Line
Team | Week 9 and 10 Outlook |
|---|---|
Orlando | Clinched. Playing for seeding. |
St. Louis | Sweep = clinched. Split = 6-4 with risk in a 5-team pileup. 0-2 = tiebreaker territory. |
DC | Same as St. Louis. Plays Orlando twice. |
Birmingham | Sweep = likely in via H2H over Louisville. Split = needs help. 0-2 = effectively out. |
Louisville | Sweep + Birmingham drops one = in. Sweep with Birmingham winning out = needs St. Louis or DC at 5-5. Anything less = effectively out. |
Dallas | Sweep + heavy help. Anything less = out. |
Houston | Sweep = alive via H2H over St. Louis. Anything less = out. |
Columbus | Alive on paper. Practically out. |
Week 10 will lock in the final three playoff bids and all four seeds.