UFL executive vice president of football operations Daryl Johnston recently sat down with USA Today’s Jacob Camenker to talk UFL and specifically expansion. There is really nothing new in this interview other than that they are in the process of looking at new locations. But there are a couple small tidbits to note. Plus, UFL officials talking to the media about expansion is always a good thing.
Johnston said the UFL is in the exploratory phase of potential expansion in 2026.
“We’re moving towards starting to look at potential markets that are out there for us that would be a good fit,” he explained. “I think that’s one of the things that is the most important. Are you in the right markets? I think that’ll be our key driver.”
We have heard from UFL News Hub sources that this process of starting to look at locations has been going on for some time. RFP’s were requested months ago and league officials have been whittling down the top potential candidates.
One thing Johnston told USA Today is that the cities proximity to the Arlington Texas hub is not a factor.
“There’s going to be a number of different things that we’ll be looking at,” Johnston explained. “Regionality is not going to be one of those things. It’ll be more specific; things that we feel are the drivers to have a successful home market, and those will be the ones that we’ll focus on the most.”
This would fall in line with the top two markets we have been hearing in Seattle Washington and Columbus Ohio. Seattle would be the farthest location in the United Football League.
Johnston says there has been a lot of interest from cities in joining the the UFL which shows the leagues potential.
“We’ve been very pleasantly surprised by not just the number of markets but kind of the variance we have there,” Johnston said. “There’s a number of different markets that have expressed an interest when we are ready to do the expansion, and that’s another way where we’ve gotten some confidence.”
UFL News Hub has heard from sources that even if two more teams are added in 2026, it would not change the length of the season. The plan is to stick with a 10 game season in 2026. This however could be all up in the air with the pending labor dispute between UFL players and United Football League owners.
We are five days from kickoff on March 28th and still don’t have a labor resolution. If there players get a pay raise in 2025, will that impact expansion plans in 2026. There is a lot at stake for spring football over the next week.
2 Comments
by Shimmy
I personally do not see expansion, unless private, or community base ownership is introduced into the League. The current owners, need to put this product in the best possible position for success, the last 3 weeks going back to March 7th could have offered not only Friday night but Sunday and Monday night games also, listen if you like football, your going to watch football, not some end of the season non major conference basketball games or some cornhole, pickleball sport or what ever other c!!p they put on. I like they want to keep the 10 game schedule, but increase the playoff teams. The 2010 UFL had 5 teams playing a 8 game schedule top two played for championship but they also had to have byes during the schedule. the current UFL should consider 1 bye to offer even more flex ability of the schedule. These teams operate out of a hub, do they really need a 50 man squad to take to games I do not know, are there players at the hub not associated with any single team, practice squad, that could be drafted or signed by the 8 teams when injuries happen? For now players keep the foot in the door, you may have to give in just to allow the League to operate, if in time the product becomes more popular, when private, or community ownership starts then you will have a better chance of demanding a little more. Right now the alternative is, the one owner can shut it down something none of us want to see happen. I could see relocation, or actual contraction to 6 teams if the same UFL ownership continues, to go it alone, expansion would just thin out, create greater cost. so they must being doing way better financially then there telling us with this expansion talk . Thank You go UFL
by Ken Granito
I like expansion. How do you get people in Seattle to watch, put a team there. People in the New York area, put a team there. Specifically New Jersey. People in NY watched the Generals and they will again. I feel there should be no expanding of the playoffs in 2026 with a 10 team league, but I love it in a 2027 12 team league, where the playoffs would grow, but also mean something because 2/3rds of the teams don’t make it. We need to keep 50 players, but I like 43 or 44 active. People are talking less fans this year. I still feel there will be more people watching the league on TV, which will bring more fans to the stadiums in the locales. They just need to keep officiating fair and let the games play themselves. I have said it in the past if you build it they will come. They have built it. As you say football is the best sport, far and away and real fans will watch it it’s real. It is real. Keep it up!