The United Football League has completed its third official regular season since the USFL and XFL merged to form the UFL in 2024. After the USFL (re-founded in 2022) and XFL (re-founded in 2020) joined forces in 2023, they paved the way for a new era of spring football.
Now, four teams remain in the hunt for the third annual UFL Championship, which will be played at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
After 10 weeks of regular-season action, the UFL has narrowed the field to four playoff contenders. The postseason could produce either the league’s first repeat champion or a brand-new titleholder.
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Here’s a look at the four playoff teams, how they got here, and their semifinal matchups.
Orlando Storm
Louisville Kings’s Benny Snell ran the ball against Orlando Storm at Lynn Family Stadium. April 10, 2026
In their inaugural UFL season, the Orlando Storm claimed the league’s top seed. Orlando finished with a league-best 8-2 record under head coach Anthony Becht.
Before taking over the Storm, Becht served as an assistant coach for the AAF’s San Diego Fleet and later led the St. Louis Battlehawks from 2023 to 2025.
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The Storm will face the defending champion DC Defenders on Sunday, June 7, at 3 p.m. ET. The semifinal matchup will be played at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
St. Louis Battlehawks
Jun 8, 2025; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Battlehawks cornerback Myles Jones (24) celebrates with teammates after making an interception against the DC Defenders during the second quarter at The Dome at America’s Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Battlehawks are among the longest-tenured franchises carried over from the USFL-XFL merger. The team originally launched as part of the XFL in 2020, and the return of professional football to St. Louis has proven to be a major success for the league.
St. Louis is led by first-year head coach Ricky Proehl, who guided the Battlehawks to a 6-4 record and a playoff berth in his debut season.
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The Battlehawks will face the Louisville Kings on Sunday, June 7, at 6 p.m. ET. The semifinal will be played at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, giving the Battlehawks a significant home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Louisville Kings
Another first-year franchise, the Louisville Kings secured a playoff berth in their inaugural season. The team is led by hometown football legend Chris Redman.
Redman starred at Louisville Male High School before becoming a standout quarterback for the University of Louisville. In his first season as head coach, he guided the expansion Kings to a 6-4 record and a postseason appearance.
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The Kings will take on the Battlehawks on Sunday, June 7, at 6 p.m. ET in St. Louis.
DC Defenders
Jun 14, 2025; St. Louis, MO, USA; UFL Owner Dany Garcia presents DC Defenders quarterback Jordan Ta’amu with the UFL Championship MVP trophy after the DC Defenders defeat the Michigan Panthers 2025 UFL Championship game at The Dome at America’s Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images
The DC Defenders enter the playoffs as the league’s defending champions and one of the most established franchises in the UFL. The former XFL club is led by head coach Shannon Harris.
Harris served as the team’s quarterbacks coach from 2023 to 2024 before earning a promotion to head coach in 2025. He also serves as offensive coordinator at Tennessee State.
The Defenders finished the regular season at 5-5. They will begin their title defense against the top-seeded Storm on Sunday, June 7, at 3 p.m. ET in Columbus, Ohio.
