UFL reshapes league with Rhode Island, Colorado joining in 2027
The United Football League is growing again, with Rhode Island and Colorado set to join the league in 2027 as part of a two-year expansion plan that will eventually push the UFL to 10 teams.
The two new franchises will begin play next spring, followed by teams in Utah and Oklahoma in 2028. The move continues an aggressive growth phase for the spring league under co-owner Mike Repole. Pasted markdown
Rhode Island gives UFL New England foothold
The Rhode Island franchise will play at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, giving the UFL its first presence in the New England market.
Opened in 2025, the stadium is also home to Rhode Island FC and has already hosted college football, rugby and lacrosse. The location gives the league an opportunity to draw from beyond the state itself and tap into the wider New England sports market. Pasted markdown
Rhode Island will be the first of the expansion teams onto the field, opening its home schedule Friday, April 2 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
The team’s name, colors and logo will be unveiled October 18 at Centreville Bank Stadium. Pasted markdown
Colorado Springs brings football to altitude
The second 2027 newcomer will play in Colorado Springs at Weidner Field, the downtown home of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.
And there will be one unusual wrinkle.
At 6,035 feet above sea level, Weidner Field sits more than 750 feet higher than Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. That will make it the highest-elevation home venue in professional football when the UFL arrives. Pasted markdown
Colorado’s home debut is scheduled for Sunday, April 11 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC. Its identity will be unveiled October 25.
Two more teams coming in 2028
The expansion won’t stop there.
Utah and Oklahoma are scheduled to join in 2028, taking the UFL to 10 teams. Utah will play at America First Field in Sandy, while Oklahoma will move into the new MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium in Oklahoma City. Pasted markdown
The Utah franchise will share America First Field with Real Salt Lake and the Utah Royals, extending the league’s footprint farther west. Pasted markdown
Growth follows strong 2026 season
The UFL’s expansion comes after a 2026 season in which several games topped one million television viewers and ticket sales increased. The United Bowl sold out as the Louisville Kings captured the championship in their inaugural season.
The league also continued to serve as a route back to the NFL. According to the UFL, 118 former players reached NFL training camps, with 46 ultimately landing on active rosters or practice squads. Pasted markdown
Now the league is betting that momentum can carry into new territory.
Instead of adding four teams at once, the UFL is taking a staggered approach: Rhode Island and Colorado in 2027, then Utah and Oklahoma one year later.
By 2028, what began as the merger of two spring-football operations will have grown into a 10-team league stretching from New England to the Mountain West.
