Overview

• The league announced Friday that the Panthers, Showboats and Brahmas will leave their current markets for the 2026 season.
• Columbus has been confirmed as a 2026 franchise site, with the UFL saying further details on its next steps will come next week.
• Officials said available venues in Detroit, Memphis and San Antonio do not fit the new emphasis on intimate settings designed to enhance the in-stadium experience.
• Reported attendance ranged from about 3,992 per game in Memphis to roughly 11,000–12,000 in Michigan and San Antonio, figures that looked sparse in 58,000–73,000-seat stadiums like Ford Field, the Liberty Bowl and the Alamodome.
• Investor Mike Repole thanked fans, called the venue shift essential to the league’s future, and left open a return to those markets if suitable sites emerge as the UFL eyes potential expansion around 2028.