Professional football’s premier spring leagues have announced they are seeking to merge.
Rumors began to swirl about a potential merger between the USFL and the XFL a couple of weeks ago, but the leagues officially acknowledged their desire to consolidate on Thursday.
“Today, the USFL and the XFL have announced their intention to merge,” a joint statement reads. “Subject to customary regulatory approvals and if the transaction is consummated, the new league will establish best-in-class operations based on the most recent seasons of both leagues. This historic combination will anchor professional spring football with substantial capabilities and resources to ensure future growth and continue to enhance the development of the collective players, coaches, and staff that are coming together.”
Both leagues were revivals of previously defunct entities and have consisted of eight teams. The USFL rose to fame with three seasons in the 1980s, producing many future NFL stars like Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Reggie White, and Herschel Walker.
The USFL announced its revival in 2021 and resumed play in 2022, with the Birmingham Stallions winning the championship in both recent seasons. The league played all its games in Birmingham, Alabama, during the first season before implementing a four-hub system in 2023.
The XFL debuted in 2001 as the brainchild of WWE co-founder and chairman Vince McMahon. The initial league was much more hostile and aggressive and even featured a one-on-one wrestling match of sorts to determine who started with the ball. The league folded after just one season but returned in the spring of 2020 only to be cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and some of his business partners bought the XFL. They revived it for a third time earlier this year, setting up the league headquarters in Arlington, which also won the league championship after a disappointing regular season.
According to the leagues’ joint statement, further details about the merger will be revealed at a later date.
