America First Field in Sandy will be home to Utah’s new UFL professional spring football team starting in 2028. (Courtesy Miller Sports & Entertainment)
Salt Lake City and Oklahoma City have been awarded teams in the United Football League, with play in those cities to begin in 2028. The UFL is expanding from six to eight teams next year, adding Rhode Island and Colorado to its league, with Utah and Oklahoma to follow in 2028.
The United Football League of professional American spring football was created following the merger of the XFL and United States Football League; it started play in March 2024. The most recent season included the Columbus Aviators, Dallas Renegades, DC Defenders, Louisville Kings, Orlando Storm and St. Louis Battlehawks. Its leadership group includes Mike Repole and Impact Capital, RedBird Capital Partners, Fox, Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, and ESPN. Games will be played at America First Field in Sandy.
“We are thrilled to welcome the UFL to Utah and partner with the league as it brings its games to America First Field,” said Michelle Smith, president of Miller Sports & Entertainment, in a release. “We believe deeply in the power of sport to unite communities, create lasting memories and bring people together around a shared sense of pride. Together, we look forward to creating an incredible experience for fans throughout Utah.”
Oklahoma will play at the new MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium in Oklahoma City, Rhode Island will play at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, and Colorado will play at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs.
The UFL said it marked a significant step forward in 2026 after an ambitious plan to reimagine spring football. The result was a season defined by momentum, building on the league’s foundation with new markets, venues, fan experiences and innovations on the field. The league introduced the four-point 60-plus-yard field goal and placed a further emphasis on transparent officiating, while delivering football with the most plays, points and touchdowns per game.
The season also reinforced the UFL’s value in the football ecosystem to develop top talent and provide a pathway to the NFL, with 118 former UFL players in NFL training camps, ultimately leading to 46 UFL players on current NFL active rosters or practice squads. In all, it was a springboard season that set the stage for the UFL to bring professional spring football to four new markets and expand to a 10-team league for 2028.
“2026 was an incredible year for the UFL, and seeing the response from our fans, players and partners has made what comes next even more exciting,” said Repole. “There is a real energy around this league right now, and we’re thrilled to bring that energy to four new markets. 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.
“We’re thankful to the local leaders and partners who believed in this vision and have helped us get here. We can’t wait to see these markets come to life, and the best part is that this is just the beginning.”
The Utah team name, branding and launch plans will be announced at a later date. Additional team and ticketing information can be found at www.theufl.com/utah.
