United Football League Expanding to Rhode Island and Colorado for 2027

The United Football League is expanding, adding two markets in 2027 and two more in 2028.

Teams based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and Colorado Springs, Colorado, will join in 2027, while Sandy, Utah, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma will start play in 2028. Those additions will bring the UFL to 10 teams.

Three of the new teams will play their home games at existing soccer venues. Colorado Springs team will play at Weidner Field, home of Colorado Switchbacks FC of the USL Championship. The Rhode Island-based team will play at Centreville Bank Stadium, the home of Rhode Island FC, another USL Championship team. The Utah team will play at America First Field, a 20,200 seat soccer venue that is home to top-division clubs in both MLS (Real Salt Lake) and NWSL (Utah Royals). Finally, the Oklahoma City club will play at MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium in Oklahoma City.

“There is a real energy around this league right now, and we’re thrilled to bring that energy to four new markets,” said UFL co-owner Mike Repole, who joined the league in 2025. “We said in July that our next step was finding the right markets, venues, and fan bases where we can work with local leaders to build the strongest franchises for today and for the future, and we believe Colorado, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, and Utah represent those qualities.”

Team names, colors, logos and brands for the two new teams will be unveiled next month during a pair of public events at their home stadiums, both of which are no more than five years old. Rhode Island’s will be at held on Saturday, October 18, while Colorado’s will take place one week later. Their inaugural home games are also set: Rhode Island will play on Friday, April 2 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox, while Colorado will make its Weidner Field debut on Saturday, April 11 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.

Weidner Field opened in 2021, while Centreville Bank Stadium debuted in 2025.

“At Weidner Field and Switchbacks FC, we place a tremendous value on relationships, collaboration, and the strength of our community. It is clear that the UFL shares those same values,” said Switchbacks FC President Brad Estes. “We are thrilled to partner with such a first-class organization and to welcome professional football to Colorado Springs, enhancing our already vibrant sports community.”

“We are incredibly excited to bring professional football to Centreville Bank Stadium and to Rhode Island in 2027,” said Paul Byrne, general manager of Centreville Bank Stadium. “There is tremendous energy around sports in the Ocean State, and we’re proud to continue establishing Centreville Bank Stadium as a premier destination for major sporting and entertainment events.”

‘Centre’ of the Action

Repole, a New York native and the billionaire co-founder of Vitaminwater and Body Armor, explained during a press conference on Wednesday the reasons for choosing Rhode Island, and hinted at some future growth for Centreville Bank Stadium.

“One of the things when I became an owner of the league, and they gave me the keys to run the league, was looking at the right city and the right venue with the right fan base,” he said. “And these soccer venues actually are – they play better for football because of the action, and you’re right on top of this, you hear the hits, you hear the yelling, the screaming, the coaches, it’s really special. So that played a big role, having that venue.”

Repole also has deep personal ties to Rhode Island, having long owned a home in South County, though he said that didn’t determine the outcome for expansion. “I still spend time there . . . and love the people in Rhode Island, and, you know, listen, that played a factor, and I wish I could tell you — if it was a jump ball, that was the jump ball, but if it would have come to a jump ball, that would have been the factor, but it didn’t have to.”

Repole, referencing Rhode Island FC owners Brett Johnson and Dan Krober of private equity fund Fortuitous Partners, added, “We’re gonna sell out that stadium of 10,500, and I have to get with Dan and Brett and learn how to put 5,000 more seats on both sides, and really get that going.”

UFL Moving Parts

The 2027 teams will replace two clubs that were part of the league’s founding in 2024: the Birmingham Stallions, which won the first UFL title, and the Houston Gamblers (originally the Roughnecks).

The league launched as the combination of two different, rebooted spring football leagues, the United States Football League and the XFL. Those leagues merged and in addition to the clubs in Birmingham and Houston it had teams in Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis Showboats), Detroit, Michigan (Michigan Panthers), Arlington, Texas (Arlington Renegades), Washington, D.C. (DC Defenders), San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio Brahmas) and St. Louis, Missouri (St. Louis Battlehawks).

After the 2025 season, three teams — Memphis, Michigan and San Antonio — were shut down, with three new teams taking their place: the Columbus Aviators, Louisville Kings and Orlando Storm. In addition the Arlington Renegades were rebranded as the Dallas Renegades and the Houston Roughnecks became the Houston Gamblers.

The moves this offseason mean that only two from the league’s first season have the same name and branding they started with: the Defenders, which won the 2025 UFL title, and the Battlehawks. Louisville won the United Bowl in its first season in the league, 2026.

The UFL has become a notable pathway to the NFL, with 118 former players making it to NFL training camps and 46 currently on active rosters or practice squads. Among its innovations are awarding four points for field goals of 60-plus yards.

Weidner Field hosted part of the 2026 SportsTravel Road Trip, while Centreville Bank Stadium opened in 2025 and was named the year’s Best New or Renovated Venue by SportsTravel.