Professional football is coming to the Wasatch Front. But fans have plenty of questions.
The United Football League announced Wednesday morning that Salt Lake City will become its 10th expansion team, with the new franchise set to kick off in 2028 at America First Field in Sandy, home of Real Salt Lake.
Joining Oklahoma City for the 2028 season, the new team follows the debut of franchises in Colorado and Rhode Island in 2027 as part of the league’s expansion of its geographic lineup.
For football fans in the region, that means the valley will soon have another professional team entering the sports scene. The UFL’s as-yet-named team will provide fans with football action to enjoy throughout the spring season, bridging the gap during the offseason for the NFL and college football.
But for those who haven’t followed the UFL, its arrival raises a couple of fair questions: What exactly is the UFL — and how did it get here?
What is the UFL?
The UFL is an American professional 11-on-11 spring football league that plays its games during the NFL offseason. It was created through a 2023 merger between Fox Sports’ United States Football League and the Xtreme Football League. The league is financed by Fox, ESPN, RedBird Capital Partners, league co-owners Dany Garcia and Dwayne Johnson, along with capital from Impact Capital and league business head Mike Repole.
The UFL kicked off its first season in 2024 by combining four teams from the former USFL with four from the XFL. Since then, the league has reorganized its geographic lineup. It currently consists of eight teams, with plans to expand to 10 when franchises in Salt Lake City and Oklahoma are added in 2028.
The active eight teams include the 2026 title-winning Louisville Kings, St. Louis Battlehawks, Columbus Aviators, Dallas Renegades, D.C. Defenders, Orlando Storm, plus two yet-to-be-named teams in Rhode Island and Colorado.
How does the UFL season work?
It’s a bit different from what fans are accustomed to with the NFL.
The UFL plays a much shorter season than the NFL, spanning late March to mid-June. Under its current format, the league’s regular season consists of 10 weeks, followed by a three-week postseason (two single-elimination semifinal games and the championship game). This allows the league to operate during the spring without competing directly with the NFL powerhouse.
Will games be televised?
Fans can tune in to games primarily from Friday through Sunday, alongside select Thursday night matchups. The league secures national reach thanks to coverage across major broadcast partners, including Fox, ABC, ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network.
Unlike the NFL, the UFL operates under a playoff structure without divisions or conferences. Instead, every team is listed in a single standings table, with the top four teams earning playoff spots based on record.
Is the UFL a minor league for the NFL?
Not exactly.
Although the UFL functions independently rather than under NFL operation, it serves as a vital talent pipeline since NFL franchises actively scout its player pool. The UFL has increasingly emphasized that player-development role, with dozens of its players moving onto NFL rosters or practice squads.
UFL President and CEO Russ Brandon mentioned there was a total of 118 UFL alumni that took part in NFL training camps and preseason games leading into the 2026 NFL season. Of those, 53 secured spots on active rosters, practice squads or injured reserve, with 23 of the 32 NFL teams featuring at least one UFL veteran.
High-profile success stories from the league include defunct team Michigan Panther kicker Jake Bates, who transitioned from the UFL to earn the starting kicker job for the Detroit Lions, and Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey, who signed a $28 million contract after being discovered by the defunct Birmingham Stallions.
College football fans will recognize these names
Utahns will recognize several former local college stars who have spent time in the UFL, including former BYU Cougars safety Kai Nacua, cornerback D’Angelo Mandell, and offensive lineman/defensive player Tomasi Laulile, alongside former Utah Utes quarterback Troy Williams and defensive end Bradlee Anae.
How popular is the UFL?
It’s fairly big, and steadily growing.
The UFL has built a sizable national TV audience since its debut season in 2024, although attendance has varied between markets. That has become one of the league’s central business challenges as it cements itself in the spring sports calendar.
Sports Business Journal reported that through the first eight weeks of the 2026 campaign, the UFL averaged 10,416 fans per game, down 14.3% from the 12,162 average in 2025. St. Louis — typically the league’s top draw — averaged 22,893 fans across four home contests (a 22.5% decrease from 2025), while attendance in D.C. dropped 32.6%.
Sports Media Watch reported the league averaged 674,000 viewers in its third season across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, Fox, FS1, and NFL Network, up 1% versus average viewership in its second season (665,000 viewers).
Will the UFL work in Salt Lake City?
Football fans hope so.
The UFL’s Salt Lake City team joins the league with a strong football culture. The No. 9 Cougars and No. 15 Utes both hold top-25 college football rankings and routinely sell out their home games.
The UFL team also arrives at a time when the city is experiencing major breakthrough in professional sports, with the addition of the NHL’s Utah Mammoth alongside the Utah Jazz, and the Miller family’s Big League Utah initiative aimed at securing an Major League Baseball franchise.
During a phone interview Tuesday, Brandon stated that conversations with Salt Lake City officials originated last November following a request for proposal issued by the league to identify potential expansion markets. He explained that after the conclusion of the championship game in June, league representatives embarked on a venue tour across roughly twelve locations, which included Salt Lake City.
“Throughout our tours and discussions, we landed in Salt Lake. We’re beyond thrilled about it,” said Brandon.
What do we know about the Utah team?
We know a couple of things.
The UFL hasn’t named the team’s name, colors, logo or any type of brand identity. Those details will be revealed at a later date.
What we do know is that the team will play its five home games at the 20,000-seat America First Field in Sandy beginning in 2028. We also know that the Salt Lake team will have a full-time staff actively involved in the community year-round that will be doing a strong marketing push to introduce the team and league to the market.
By the time the Salt Lake team kicks off — and finding a name for the new franchise will certainly add to the hype — Utahns will hopefully know what they’re signing up to watch.